Tribute to Peter Graham

bound of interndtionalisin is thar without che Fourth lnteriationalievolulionary theory and proctice is in the long run impossible, The fale of nurmercus sechiriins who split from the Fourth International is bitter prod cof the The the revolutionary struggles in Cuba, Algeria rance, nd niieed Ireland alerds a particular exumnple, Others whooare bent on Tollwine the same path could learn a lot from Cde Graham, The National Question Hetause Cde Graham's internationalism flawed naturally fron hia revolutionary instincts Jt had nething ja commen with the bland cosmopolilagism mee thriving itt Che hour mivement, Por Mirxists internationalisn means that a nae tion which oppresses another mation can never itself he free, The fate of the workers in the Taetropatitin countries is determined by the fate of the workers in the oppressed and exploited | colonies, This and nota childish rejection of national differences is the source of workers’ intemationalism., Accarliogly Peter Grabum saa i as hischuty to the entire world proletariat te struggle for trish freedom, for the unitigation of the country and the defeat of British imperialists, oDue wo this he has been denounced hysorne im potent sectarian: as betraying the struggle of che ; working ¢lass, Weedless-to say this accusation was rejected oul of hand, The division of the cou try and iidormination by British interests. hag sertoushy retarded the growth of che lish eoonemy ind consequently, the strength of the working class, (renerniion atber peneration of iri) workers have seen subject to emigration 2 Unemployment, low wages, and in general a tired existence. In [reland the aolucion tote national question is very much a part of the workers simuggle and the fight for socialism, Those who iene or uniéresiimate the importance of the national strigele de so froma reformist stanee ani as sueh, areas far removed from Marxism as There chili alist is, Stemming trom Cle Graham's upproach to the national question wis His attitude to che Repub. lican Movement, He cateporigally deniet! the peter! possibility of purely nationalist move. ments defeating imperialism in this epoch, How ever (his dues not mean that the struggle of the Republican Movement is entirely fruitless. In ws far as this strupele helps to defeat British imperialism i) must be supported and not by words done, Marenver, any revolutionary attempting fo censtrget a Mirsist party must mecopnise (he fret that a large portional the most glass coms choi workers are ocpanised in the Republican Mowrement.

These two factors combine to condition Cde Grahirn's attitude der the Republiqgnn Movement. It was he, wlio taught us thatthe rank und Mie could be broken from the reformist-and Stalinist lendership (1) by proving our worth, and (2) by sHentilic criticism, Anything other than achve pariicipalion in the struipele arid sqienvtifie erilis cin, could only hinder and disrupd the alick against Britigh lmpertalizm. Dt would be a aad day if Irah Trotakyists broueht chame on the revalutionagy traditions of the Fourth inter nationel by: such actions, We challenge any: one, it the name of Cde Graham te show a shred of “capitulation” to republicanian or “Cullvolic bourgenis nathonalism The Revolutionary Party Cde Groham'spouitionon the national question sheds interteting light on fis efforts lo construct adelermined mucheus of revolutionaries who would eventually lay Use foundations of a mass revolutionary parly ariace oui of the uneven development.ot working claws conachousnesa. The working class, as most workers know from their own experience, it highly fragmented by virtue of its relitonship to the means of pre duction. Hefore the class can be welded into a solid force to oppose capitalism this: frag mentation oot be overcome, Lrvler no cir cumelanees can this be achieveddon the basis ofthe coonmomic or day to day struggle which is isel? firmby- conditioned by this wery frag mentation.

The cohsciousness and interests of the working clage in general, can only be unified and evened out by means of a scientific progranume which wm up the whole ex perenes of the clase and celates this to its historical tasks, Furthermore, the nature of this programme means that while it takes into aechunt the economic scruples it ia placed ¢quarely in the political arena, the sphere where all class interests meet and the ooly sphere in which it can be hoped to develop the consciousness of the workers generally and toa sclentific evel, Thos, Ode Geral was all the mone a revolutionary when he pave up his shopeareward position in the BTL and involved lueaclf more actively in the direet political, (aod what is only an eatension of this), and inilitary struggle aguinel British imperialism. Such a progranune as sald abore impbes on orpinialion of revilutionariea to translate il inte concrete reality. Revolutionaries whe jcin the organization accept this: programme and con sequently a etriet centr! discipline without injustice to anyone is posible, Thus, de Graham di) oot make analitoo common mislekeot felishising organisational structures in his efforts a: Irish repeeaeotative of the Fourth linterna thonal, he wasdetetmined met to creale a cuibcsture of 2 Bolshevik Party geared with all the farniliar trappings of a mass party, froma cetiiral conimittes to-variows layers of mentor ship, as he was all too accustomed to when he wis a meiniser of the LR.

Conclusion Perhape the reader may think that thia is arather uiettliedox thpe of obituary, mare of a political statement than amything else, And the reader is probably right, The death of a courageous and devoted revalulionary may occasion a sense of loss and sadness but merer pessimism and despair, (de Graham knew the cisks iovelved and now thit he has been called upon ta face the eonsequences there can be ner lime for reerlmination. OF cours, his cowardly agsagsins cantiol escape the hand of revolutionary juatice for mach lng ecand will pay dearly for this crime against the Irish Reveludion, But the revolutionary road, we reaffirm, remuins as ever the only road.

This isin the spirit. of Peter Graham himself and in the best tradition which he has bequeathed us, Ina book written by Leon Trotsky, thal wndaunted revolutionary hwo years before he himeliwas brutally murdered, (de Graham underlined the following lines: “The hanemen think in their obtruseness ood cynicism thar itis possible to frighten us, They ere! Under blows we hecame stronger... 1 is possible to-kill indivi dual soldiers of our any betnat to brighten ther, Friends, we shall repeat again ...1T 15 NOT POSSIBLE TO PREGATEN-US”, These lines carefully nerbed hy Coe Ciruham give a revealing insight into his character, Though be was by oo means a sérLlenentalist, he could mot refrain from marking out those words which so eloquently captune the fighting spirit of Trotskyism, Troly, the Young Socialists can agy of Pater Graham as the only revolutionary bellad says of the Penians— “We may have as good, but we ll never have better’,