on the back of their supposed opposition to the war. Liam Mac Vaid looks at why antiwar activists shouldn't be conned into supporting a party that is really not very different from the one in power "LIBERAL" has always been one of the stronger terms of abuse that socialists throw at each other. This seems a bit mean when the public face of British Liberalism is Charles Kennedy, the most personable and amusing of the main party leaders. Also, they were (sort of against the war and their public statements tend to be less revolting than anything Blunkett and Blair have to say.
Russian revolutionary Lenin had something to say about why Liberalism is so contemptible:
"As ideologists of the bourgeoisie the liberals understand perfectly well that the bourgeoisie stands to gain .... by the working class restricting its field of activity within the framework of capitalism, reforms, the trade union struggle etc. "
Socialists want a society that is run by
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Say NO - NO TO Sar
NO Lib Dems: No to the war - until after it's started working people and with an end to the exploitation of one class by another. The very heart of Liberalism is to make capitalism slightly less unpleasant but still run by a ruling class that controls the economy and the State
So when we consider how barbarous capitalism can be it isn't too difficult for a party that represents some of the ruling class to come up with a list of things that can be changed. This allows them to have a progressive tinge on some issues for some of the
List Outlook time.
However to be a Liberal Democrat means, by definition, that capitalism is the only model you are prepared to use to run society. Another intrinsic element of Liberal Democracy is to be prepared to retreat on any question of principle. Against the War - Sort of Let's take the example of imperialist war against Iraq. The Liberal Democrats had a high profile on some of the early anti-war demonstrations. The sight of 2000 pashminas arriving simultaneously is not one that is easily forgotten. Charles Kennedy was allowed to speak from the platform by the Stop the War Coalition (StWC) despite the fact that he had already said that his party would stop opposing the war as soon as the imperialist bombing started. One could be critical of the StWC for giving him that platform - but Kennedy was being utterly consistent in his Liberalism.
Had he been Prime Minister he would have done what Blair did. As he was in opposition he could make some radical sounding noises. On the strength of a few interviews by Kennedy, the Liberal Democrats picked up a big part of the anti-war vote in the Brent by-election and earned a reputation as the anti-war party
How do we know that Kennedy as Prime Minister would have done what Blair did? Because Blair says so. Blair says; "people like myself in the Labour Party and people like Charles Kennedy and the Liberal Democrats we basically are driven by the same value system."
What Blair didn't say was that at the core of this value system are an admiration for capitalism and a willingness to serve American imperialism. That is why almost anyone from the Conservative or Labour Party can find a home in the Liberal Democrats.
In a situation where a Conservative meltdown at the next general election is a possibility, the Liberal Democrats stand to benefit both from the "I can't bring myself to vote Labour anymore" factor and the "the Tories aren't a proper opposition anymore" factor: Right Wing Labour The Liberal Democrats originated from a right-wing split from Labour which then merged with the Liberal Party. Former Labour Home Secretary Roy Jenkins proposed the idea of splitting the Labour Party because the left was becoming too strong. That was in 1979
In 1981 Jenkins and three others spilt and set up the Social Democratic Party with a number of renegade Labour MPs. This splitting of the Labour vote during the 80s and 90s was what helped make the Tory years possible
We are still waiting for a leftwing group of MPs to walk out of the Labour Party because they are so appalled by what it does and says We could be sure they would not be easily forgiven.
Blair though is a model of Christian forgiveness when it comes to the right wing. He has said that he "understands" why people split from Labour when the Bennite left was strong. A number of former SP members now work in Downing Street as policy advisors.
However the ties between New Labour and the Liberal Democrats could have been even stronger had the 1997 election result been closer.
The former Liberal Democrat leader, Paddy Ashdown, has said that Blair was prepared to bring Liberals into the cabinet. Blair has made no secret of the fact that he feels Socialists want a society that is run by working people and with an end to the exploitation of one class by another. The very heart of Liberalism is to make capitalism slightly less unpleasant but still run by a ruling class that controls the economy and the state. ..... that the creation of a Labour Party based on the working class and separating from Liberalism was an historic mistake for the British Labour Movement. Local Government The Liberal Democrats have 54 MPs and more than 4600 councillors, receiving 25 per cent of the vote in last May's council elections. They have control of 63 local authorities and are the main opposition party in many more. Their record in local government shows how they behave when they are given some power.
The evidence suggests that they are not very different from Labour or the Conservatives when it comes to implementing Labour's flagship policy for local government, the Private Finance Initiative. While it is true that there are lots of statements by Liberal Democrats criticising particular aspects of this swindle all of their elected representatives seem committed to forcing it through.
The "Public Private Partnership Forum" says of the Liberal Democrats that they "accept that PFI/PPPs can provide excellent opportunities for innovative private sector investment in the provision of public servic es."
This is management-speak for "it's a great way of making people redundant, getting rid of pension entitlements and making big companies richer still." And this is what happens when Liberal councils push through PF schemes.
The Liberal Democrats are not an alternative to Labour for anyone who wants to change the world. They are not prepared to make a serious challenge to New Labour on any significant issue.
They are the party the ruling class is holding in reserve in case Labour or the Tories implode. It is easy for any opportunist to join them. Blair has said he has a lot in common with them and can see himself in the same party as many of them.
It's easy to understand why "Liberal" remains a term of abuse
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Every Thursday 6pm-8pm Israeli Embassy, Kensington High Street, London. Palestine Solidarity Campaign Picket. Saturday 17 January Ipm Labour Campaign for Lesbian and Gay Rights. National Committee open meeting. ULU Malet St, London. Saturday and Sunday 17 and 18 January Reclaim the Bases. Weekend of anti-militarist actions. details. www.reclaimthebases.org.uk Saturday 24 January Noon Campsfield Detention Centre - demonstrate to close OC mere war.
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equality. sistance January 2004 23 Socialist EDITORS:, Terry Conway, John Lister Liam MacUaid. EDITORIAL BOARD: Mandy Baker, Julia Brandreth, Paul Brown, John Bulaitis, Andrew Burgin, Kathy Lowe Pauline Roland, Piers Moystn, Karen O'Toole, DESIGN: Pete McGreal and John Lister SPONSORED BY: International