Preparing for Power, Summer 1985

PREPARING

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POWER

Preparing for Power, Summer 1985 week-long fighting conference of the Revolutionary Communist Party Friday 19 July - Friday 26 July University of London Union, Malet Street, LONDON WC1

AGENDA & ARRANGEMENTS

30p

ROP

Summer Opening Saturday plenary discussion on The class struggle worldwide introduced by Mike Freeman, editor • 64 workshops - subjects include Thatcherism, • 13 specialist courses in Marxist theory - from Ireland through the Russian Revolution to Religion & the decline Price: £15 for the week (£12 unwaged), or £5 for the

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1985 of the next step Scargillism, star wars and test-tube babies of capitalism • Central London location • Swimming pool, sports facilities shops, bar, music creche and accommodation • Cheap transport from every major British city • Concluding boat trip up the Thames weekend of 20-21 July only (£3 unwaged).

Boat trip f6 all-in • Revolutionary visitors from America and Europe

Power is the issue of the eighties. Power was at the centre Introduction of the battle between the coal board and the miners.

Power inspires Shite suicide raids and Reagan's death squads in El Salvador. The new technology is powerful, but not powerful enough to deliver Ethiopia from famine or humanity from AIDS. Thatcher still has some power, Gorbachev would like more, and the Labour Party seems to have lost it for good.

Power is the dynamic of our times. The Revolutionary Communist Party is interested in power — in particular, in winning it for the British and international working class. We organise action to strengthen the power of workers in struggle. We campaign in support of women, blacks, the Irish and anybody else fighting for their rights against the power of the establishment. We publish books, videos and a weekly paper. Now, at our largest conference of the year, we want to talk with and listen to you — about power. We need to understand today's power relations, get behind the charade of Labour and trade union power politics and build a power of our own. To become the real enemy within, we need fresh insight, fresh organisation and real power politics. On the first Friday night of Preparing for Power, and all day Saturday, we'll be looking at the key issues of the eighties. There will be both full-scale plenary discussions and smaller, more informal workshops. From Sunday, a total of 13 five-day specialist courses begin. Intended to build up a well-rounded grasp of different aspects of Marxism among a group of regular participants, the specialist courses run as follows: 1 Introduction to Marxism 2 Introduction to Marxist economics 3 The rise and fall of Labourism 4 The Britishness of British politics 5 Leninism: the politics of liberation 6 Marxism for non-beginners 7 The West and the South 8 The Russian Revolution 9 Religion and the decline of capitalism 10 The roots of racism 11 Women: their morals and ours 12 An anti-imperialist's guide to the Irish War 13 The West and the Eastern bloc

Throughout the week we'll be having a variety of debates in late afternoon workshops (4.30-6.30pm). Evenings will be taken up with lighter plenaries and entertainment — music, films, dance. Cheap transport will be available from Glasgow, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Bristol, Leeds, Wakefield, Sheffield, Bradford, Huddersfield, Pontefract, Nottingham, Coventry, Birmingham, Manchester and Brighton. Accommodation: please let us know if you need somewhere to stay — and bring a sleeping bag. A professionally-staffed creche will be available free throughout the conference. Phone now to book a place.

The University of London Union is near Goodge Street (Northern line) and Warren Street (Victoria line) tubes; it is due east of Tottenham Court Road. The building has a swimming pool, a gym and a full bar: it is also near a number of cheap restaurants. The concluding boat trip promises to form the highpoint of the conference: food and drink is included in the price of boarding. Registration is by the form below: make cheques out to RCP Association and send to BM RCP, London WCIN 3XX. Your PFP ticket, badge and final timetable will be ¡ eady for you at the registration desks, which will be open from 4pm to 10pm on Friday 19.

All inquiries to Carol Taggart on (01) 729 0414 Name Address Telephone number Price paid: I need creche facilities £12 unwaged £15 full week £5 weekend only I need accommodation £3 unwaged £6 Boat trip

Registration desks open from 4pm to 10pm. Bar open 1 The royal family and the royal 'we'. What is this Britain we're supposed to be part of? Is Princess Diana a fascist?

Blue-blooded Mick Hume takes a stroll up to 2 Sex and the British ruling class. Author and women's rights activist Kate Marshall discusses the private lives of 3 Preparing for Power: a beginners' guide to the RCP. By

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Weekend Friday night from Buckingham Palace. Frank Richards. discussions, each beginning at 8pm: Mrs Thatcher, Cecil Parkinson and all the rest.

5.30pm to 11pm. Choice of three plenary

10.30am-12.30pm editor of the next step, on The class struggle worldwide 1 World Wars Two - and Three? Phil Murphy and James Wood draw the lessons of Belsen and Stalingrad for 1985.

2 The left in continental Europe. Sabena Norton surveys 3 The miners' strike in perspective. Frank Richards asks 4 Born in the USA. Mick Hume looks at the world of 5 Thatcher's targets. Ann Burton surveys Clive Ponting, picket-line militants, surrogate mothers, football hooligans and all the other people who get up Thatcher's 6 Why workers should fight racism. Joan Phillips and Kenan Malik put immigration controls at the top of the 7 Hating 'that woman' is not enough. Keith Tompson 8 Women: off the picket lines and into degrading part-time jobs? Jenny Morgan and Kate Marshall look at women and 9 Kinnock and Hattersley, Skinner and Scargill, Healey and Benn. Cathy Barrett assesses the career prospects of 10 'Socialist' councils — Red Ken's wage slave speaks out.

11 The banana skin factor. Rob Knight looks at splits in the 12 The Irish dimension in British politics. Carol Taggart 13 South Pacific. Alan Harding looks at the region that 14 The Arab Revolution. Inez Landa and Daniel Nassim 15 The African Revolution. Jenny Graham analyses 8pm till late Live band and disco — and entertainment in the bar.

2-4pm Saturday 4.30-6.30pm 9-10am Late registrations Full plenary discussion: Mike Freeman, the mess from Portugal to Papandreou.

'can the NUM be built to win next time?'

American youth. nose. trade union agenda. outlines the right way to fight the Tories.

work today's Labour leaders. Don Mallory reports from the County Hall bunker.

ruling class and debates in the Tory Party.

looks at the most menacing enemy within.

gave us Pearl Harbour and the Sony walkman look at the spiral of conflict in the Middle East.

Mugabe, Namibia — and Bishop Desmond Tutu.

Full plenary: Frank Richards on The sources of stability 2 The political levy and strike ballots Keith Jackson and 3 Who is watching you? State security in Britain Andy 5 Anti-communism and the new right in Europe Sabena 10.30am-12.30pm 2-4pm Sunday 4.30-6.30pm 7.30-9pm 1 Introduction to Marxism 2 Introduction to Marxist economics 3 Rise and fall of Labourism 4 The Britishness of British politics 5 Leninism: the politics of liberation 6 Marxism for non-beginners 7 The West and the South 8 The Russian Revolution 9 Religion and the decline of capitalism 10 The roots of racism 11 Women: their morals and ours 12 An anti-imperialist's guide to the Irish War 13 The West and the Eastern Bloc and revolution in Britain Evening workshops on: 1 Black resistance in South Africa Jenny Graham Helen Simons Clarkson 4 Scottish nationalism and the left Mike Wall Norton 6 Star wars James Wood

Workshops 4.30-6.30 - seven to choose from each Why yesterday's French Stalinists are today's French anti-

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Weekdays 4.30-6.30pm British politics 4.30-6.30pm International affairs afternoon The establishment The far right who's who British militarism Hooliganism, rioting and crime Trotskyism in Britain The two Arthurs: Cook to Scargill The British civil service The working class Strikes Taking Control 1985 Sweated labour Privatisation and the Trade Union Act The TUC's new realism India Famine in the Horn of Africa communists The Soviet Union under Gorbachev Will Maoism come to Hong Kong Apartheid and anti-apartheid Israel and the USA The PLO and the Palestinians McCarthyism and anti-communism Specialist courses run through till 4pm Entrism and why the far left votes Labour Lloyd George and the Liberal/SDP Alliance Can there be a revolution in Germany?

Can there be a revolution in the USA?

From Beveridge to Fowler: the collapse of the welfare state Every evening will be packed with discussions, debate and entertainment. Throughout the week we will be 4.30-6.30pm Current issues 4.30-6.30pm Culture and heroes

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Evenings From 7.30pm The NHS and the politics of medicine Zionism and anti-semitism What has happened to the peace movement New technology Technology and women What about North Sea oil?

The environment: why big can be beautiful The media - how influential?

Is science a working class issue?

Do animals have rights? Fashion Irish jokes, rebel songs and the gaelic revival Literature and revolution Twentieth century design Women in 19th century British fiction The sixties: was it all fun?

Gramsci Rosa Luxemburg Trotsky Marx and Freud showing communist and anti-communist films.

Ann Burton on why Sylvia Pankhurst and her supporters had the makings of a real revolutionary women's Rupert Murdoch vs Marxism Today - tns writers look at Discussion on the world economy Tony Kelley, Inez Kate Marshall and Mick Hume on Millwall fans and other Frank Richards on British working class culture: has it got Discussion and debate on which way forward for the 'Any questions' with a panel of revolutionary Plus: surprise guests and debates — watch for further Final full session, followed by a late night boat trip down the Thames — complete with food drink and dancing — Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday movement the left press. plus film show Landa, Phil Murphy plus entertainment deviants one? working class plus film show communists announcements £6 all in Alan Harding on life north of the Watford Gap The debate on the Soviet Union Frank Richards Love and women's magazines Cathy Barrett Moral panics under Thatcher Sabena Norton: Marxism and art After the miners' strike — a round table discussion The Bishop of Durham and the RCP Mike Freeman

Preparing for Power reading from Junius Mike Freeman's controversial assessment of the lessons of the The second, updated edition of this best-selling introduction to Kate Marshall points the way forward in the fight for women's Bound volumes of the next step monthly covering the periods from September 1981 to December 1982 (Numbers 16-30) and from January 1983 to March 1984 (Numbers 31-45) are available at $15 each. Send cheques/POs payable to Junius Miners' strike The unions Ireland Racism Women Women and the family strike 50p (30p p&p) Taking Control £2.95 (85p p&p) the Irish War £2.95 (40p p&p) The roots of racism £1.95 (40p p&p) rights €1.95 (90p p&p) £1.50 (40p p&p) Plus Publications Ltd. Our day will come: the miners' battle for jobs Mike Freeman's handbook for trade union activists The Irish War: Irish Freedom Movement handbook Workers Against Racism guide to action Real freedom: women's liberation and socialism Moral panics and Victorian values Kate Marshall's survey of their morals and ours Useful background reading

the nextstep out of jail!' • Ful story pete 2. the nextstep the tube Party time - why you need the RCP p6.7 Does the pill cause cancer A5 Shites at war with Israel p8

MINERS FAMILIES SPEAK OUT

*Get my husband

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Women's rights down- 1 Sex reforms in So 1 Alica 08 2 world. ins the nextstep Essential reading for everybody who is preparing for power. Weekly news and comment on power politics in Britain and abroad, in the labour movement, the women's movement and every other movement fighting for a better Annual subscription rates • Britain and Ireland £19 • Middle East and North Africa £26 • America, Asia and Southern Africa £27 • Australasia £32 Europe £24 • Libraries, institutions £30 now! All cheques payable to Junius Publications Ltd. Newham police riot p3 Irish freedom fighters are not British criminals Troops Out

We hope people will do some reading in preparation for these courses. All books can be ordered through the conference organiser. Everybody can choose two of the courses. Courses 1-7 are on in the mornings and 8-13 are This course designed for beginners looks at theory as an analytical tool and as a weapon for action. It aims to show that Marxism is not an esoteric philosophy but an outlook that is readily accessible to those who want to Marx: Theses on Feuerbach in Marx and Engels collected The German ideology, chapter 1 in collected works, F Jakubowski: Ideology and superstructure in historical

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Specialist courses Introduction to Marxism run in the afternoon. 1 Historical materialism Scientific socialism Marx's theory of ideology The Paris commune The revolutionary party Readings: works, volume 5, p3-5 volume 5, p27-93 On the Paris commune materialism, p13-65 Convened by Frank Richards.

change the world. Sessions on: K Korsch: Marxism and Philosophy, p29-88 Three essays on Marxism, p11-38 The more ambitious should try

Convened by Helen Simons.

2 This course is for activists who want to get to grips with Introduction to Marx's Capital. Last year the discussions were very lively Marxist economics with many questions and disagreements as more experienced Capital readers tried to answer the problems raised by newcomers. Sessions on: Theory of value and capitalist society How the working class is exploited Capital accumulation and the basis for socialism The theory of crisis: why the rate of profit falls Imperialism, state intervention and war Readings: F Engels: On Capital P Mattick: Marx and Keynes, chapters 2-10 Lenin: Imperialism Revolutionary communist papers No 7 3 Convened by Mike Freeman.

This course examines the nature of Labourism and The rise and fall explains why it has been so influential for so long. We aim of Labourism to put forward a unique analysis of Labourism, one that is at variance with the traditional views of the left.

Sessions on: Dennis Healey: the Gromyko of the Labour Party Victor Grayson and the beast of Bolsover Clause 4: a study in duplicity Kinnock and Willis — breaking up is hard to do The rope and the hanging man Readings: L Trotsky: On Britain R Groves: The strange case of Victor Grayson E Heffer: The class struggle in parliament D Healey: Labour and a world society, Fabian Tract 501 R Milliband: Parliamentary socialism RCP: Slump socialism F Richards: *Prolonging the death agony: the rise, fall and reconstitution of social democracy' in Revolutionary communist papers No 8

Convened by Alan Harding.

4 The object of this course is to examine the development of Britain into the first and most powerful imperialist The Britishness of British politics nation, its decline from this position and the consequences for the labour movement. The historical strength of British capitalism has led to a remarkable continuity in institutions. It has also led to myths about the 'naturalness' of such institutions and the unique 'British character'. The course looks behind the myths, explains what really happened and why Britain will change. Sessions on: The peculiarities of British class relations From Chartism to Labourism Communists and the minority movement Post-war class relations The coming British revolution Readings: L. Trotsky: On Britain C Hill: A century of revolution E Hobsbawm ed: The turning point, readings in British labour history M Crick: Scargill M Freeman: Taking Control RCP: Slump socialism W Kendall: The revolutionary movement in Britain K Middlemas: Politics in industrial society Convened by Rob Knight. 5 The focus of this course is the relationship between Leninism: Lenin's theory and the problem of revolution. It explains not only what Lenin said but also why he said it and the politics of liberation draws out the relevance of this heritage for today.

Throughout the course attention will be drawn to the main criticisms made against Lenin by the anti-Leninist left.

Sessions on: The party Democratic rights and political oppression The state Lenin and philosophy The building of communism Readings: G Lukacs: Lenin M Liebman: Leninism under Lenin N Harding: Lenin's political thought Lenin: What is to be done?

On the emancipation of women State and revolution Philosophical notebooks Convened by Sabena Norton.

6 This is an ambitious course on the materialist method.

Marxism Those who have not read Capital vol 1 or not done the for non-beginners course Introduction to Marxism will not profit from these discussions. We want a good working atmosphere so bring your notes and plenty of paper.

Sessions on: Dialectics The logic of Capital Theory of value Theory of imperialism Marxism and revisionism today Readings Marx: Introduction to A critique of political economy Theses on Feuerbach The German ideology K Korsch: Marxism and philosophy G Lukacs: What is orthodox Marxism? in History and class consciousness E llyenkov: The dialectics of the abstract and concrete in Marx's Capital J Zeleny: The logic of Marx F Jakubowski: Ideology and superstructure I Rubin: Essays on Marx's theory of value

Convened by Inez Landa and Charles Longford.

7 This course looks at the relationship between imperialism The West and the backward capitalist countries of Asia, Africa, and the South Latin America and the Middle East. The discussion will focus on the trouble spots that are always in the headlines. Sessions on: Famine and debt Military juntas from left to right The working class in the newly industrialised countries Soviet 'imperialism'? Anti-imperialist movements - results and prospects Readings: Lenin: Imperialism EA Brett: The world economy since the war J Steele: World power T Hayter: Aid Revolutionary communist papers Nos 5&6 8 Convened by Ann Burton.

How did it happen? Why did it go wrong? The Russian The Russian Revolution Revolution was the single most important event this century. Yet, no event is so maligned, misunderstood and distorted. Whether we like it or not this revolution has come to shape both negatively and positively working class politics. So we might as well understand what happened. Sessions on: How the Bolsheviks won Women and October Britain and 1917 How Stalin triumphed Could it happen here? Readings: A Rabinowitch: The Bolsheviks come to power J Reed: Ten days that shook the world M Ferro: October 1917 L Trotsky: History of the Russian Revolution R Wade: Red guards and workers' militias in the Russian Revolution A Shlyapnikov: On the eve of 1917

Convened by Joan Phillips.

9 Joan Phillips clears away all the cant and sets the analysis The roots of racism of racism on a scientific footing. The course aims to show that racism is not an isolated issue but one that has profound implications for the working class as a whole.

Many of the sessions will elaborate on the points raised in Roots of racism, the recently published analysis of Workers Against Racism. Sessions on: Marx's theory of racism Labour: architects of discrimination The US experience Racism in Europe The communist tradition and racism Readings: P Fryer: Staying power WAR: Roots of racism Zig Layton Henry: Race in British politics S Castles, Wallace and Booth: Here for good R Miles: Racism and political action in Britain Brookeman and Issel eds: Race, reform and rebellion: the second reconstruction in Black America 1945-82 Convened by Mike Freeman.

10 Despite its decline, religion continues to play an Religion and the influential role in politics. This course surveys the impact decline of capitalism of religion and explains why millions are still moved to action by the call of God. Sessions on: Marx on religion Sectarianism in Liverpool and Glasgow The moral majority in the USA Islam Liberation theology Readings: Marx & Engels: On religion On Jewish question, collected works, volume 3 German ideology preface, parts 1,2 &3 E Mortimer: Faith and power: the politics of Islam B Murray: The old firm: sectarianism. sport and society in Scotland G Gutierez: A theology of liberalism M Paget-Wilks: Poverty, revolution and the church

This course is on how to make a world where women are free. It will challenge the conventional left and feminist analysis of the causes of and remedies to the oppression of women. Its aim is to provide arguments against the present day ideological offensive against F Engels: Origins of the family, private property and the R Rowland: Women who do and women who don't join the Ireland is one of the most unpopular issues on the British left. For the RCP it is one of the most important. This course explains why Irish freedom has to be one of the key objectives of British revolutionaries. The Irish issue is often presented as complex and beyond the power of human understanding. Yet in reality it is one of the most exciting and straightforward questions facing the 11 Women: their morals and ours 12 An anti-imperialist's guide to the Irish war Convened by Kate Marshall.

women's rights. Sessions on: Marx on the kitchen sink Theories of patriarchy Women and trade unions Prostitution — a special case?

Readings: Kate Marshall: Real Freedom S Benton: Women and trade unions state The Warnock report women's movement Convened by Mick Hume. working class movement. Will feminism and Marxism ever get married?

Marshall: Moral panics and Victorian values

Sessions on: Why Britain stays Loyalism The Catholic church Class struggles in the South The movement we need Readings: IFM: An anti-imperialist's guide to the Irish war B Bell: The secret army K Kelly: The longest war M Farrell: The orange state JH Whyte: Church and state in modern Ireland Andy Clarkson: The Loyalist working class in Revolutionary communist papers No 7 13 Convened by Phil Murphy.

East- West tensions are the regular topic of international The West affairs. This course is designed to explain what's going on and the Eastern bloc behind the headlines.

Sessions on: The new Cold War The Soviet Union and the arms race China — is it going capitalist?

Cuba Nicaragua readings: F Halliday: The second Cold War J Steele: World power EP Thompson ed: Exterminism and cold war J Pearce: Under the eagle M Chossudovsky: Toward capitalist restoration in China

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PREPARING FOR POWER

19-26 July 1985 University of London Union Malet Street

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