A throwaway attack piece on the Young Communist League’s (YCL) Challenge magazine website reveals the critical flaws in the thinking and tactics of communists who ultimately remain wedded to the Labour Party.
Unfamiliar with the concept of tactical voting, Tom Flanagan criticises George Galloway for following through on what he set out to do by founding the All for Unity political alliance, i.e. tactically voting for whichever candidate in his constituency is most likely to defeat the Scottish National Party (SNP).
To clarify, for anyone else unfamiliar with Scottish politics, All for Unity is a cross-party formation expressly formed for the purpose of defeating separatist parties such as the SNP. All for Unity itself is not fielding candidates in constituencies, only being an option on regional lists. Continue reading “Programmes to cure political illiteracy fall short in Scottish YCL”→
On 18th September 2014 the people of Scotland will vote in a referendum to decide whether they will remain part of the Great British Nation.
Read “THE NATIONAL QUESTION IN SCOTLAND” here: http://www.lalkar.org/issues/contents/sep2012/scotland.html
It is undeniable that the Scots have a Scottish Culture and national consciousness – but it is our contention that the poeple of Scotland developed all the characteristics of nationhood in the late 18th and early 19th century – and precisely at that time elected to throw their lot in with the people of England and Wales to join in the creation of a British Nation.
The Scottish and English – British – ruling capitalist class cooperated fully in their quest for industrial development, conquering colonial markets and creaeting a fully fledged empire, characterised by the systematic export of capital, the exploitation and domination of millions of clonial peoples.
Morever the British working class came together, including the poeple of the highlands, islands and lowlands of Scotland, to either make their fortune in assisting the British project, or to cooperate in their quest for chartism, and for either reform of the exploitative capitalist syustem, or its revolutionary overthrow.
Adherants of left nationalism make all sorts of claims regarding the prospect of an independent Scotland – that it will bring world equality (at least one step nearer), that it will give rise to a fair and just (albeit monarchist, capitalist and imperialsit!) society; that it will rid scotalnd of nuclear weapons, or aggressive armies (although Scotland will remain part of the most aggressive warmongering imperial alliance ever assembled – namely NATO -, and will seek to become a member of the EU imperialist club), etc, etc.
Rest assured, that the British monopoly capitalist class are not offering the dismemberment of their exploitative machine, or marauding armies. The State will not be broken by an independant Scotland as envisaged by the SNP, SSP, or any other member of this alliance.
These parties can win at best a little more personal influence and power. They will not bring the British people – be they English, Welsh or Scotch – one step closer to meaningful freedom. Rather they can achieve only the sowing of greater discord, and disorganisation, among British workers, with the diversion and false poanacea of ‘independence’.
The truth is that the only fight that can bring equality and justice to the working beople of Britain, is the fight against capitalism and for socialism – that must place decisoin-making power in the hands of workers.
What is urgently required is not more divisive nationalism, but the wide adoption of an internationalist outlook and approach to our problems: Workers are better together; stronger united. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XD687At2NvU
In this excellent presentation, Harpal Brar, speaking in 2012 in (the semi-autonomous republic of) Southall, explains “what is a nation?”, and goes on to adderss the specific question “Is Scotland a nation”.
Excellent introductory and explanatory fotage – Don’t vote before you watch!
