The Judgement of Drjohnston

In the spring of 1942, the Hammersmith franch af the Communist Party of Cit Britain published an edition of ite magafms, Chutlook. Acong its reports ol prog resaive jumble sales and changes of vere for meetings, there wae one article that provided a more serious political mote Entifled “An End to the Troubies’, it dealt bricily and perhaps. as 0 resull, screw list ekelthily wilh the current situation in Ire land. its suthor was w comrade recently amived tram that country; a computer iciatist called Bro Roy Johnston ireland and the comintern . I i fits way the article repiesented a milestone fi the lustory of Staliiist policy towards trefond. For the quarter century since the Failure of the republican Congress in te mil [430s the Insh policies of the official Communist Parties in the British (shes had Been cauhous and conshituiionel Frank Ryan's Spanish venture hol Jef socialist Republicanism isolated from anv potential rank and file. Hib own entry te the Cominberm was not lolkewed by that-of goy of fs eupporters: The leadership of Irish Republicaniom drifted into the hands of-a Pop csscntially non-political a cullook, Shee practicn! policies often appeared mmr io fascism. This might not have etlerred the Communist Party fron making Guretters to it had not Wither invaded Russia in July 194). The United. Kingdom became af ally of the USSR overnight, Ac camingey, Fhe PIs policy of unti-igiperBis however formal had to be changed Amlimpcralim in the seme of oposite to Britnh imperobam fad to be dropped aed, to protect “soca in one country these had to he reoogeieed aa the ain of the Comintem aa whole. The CPI was partitinged ghong the line of the border, Its branches in the Republic were liquidated into the [rish Labour Party, In Northern irclind the (.P.81. remained a5 @ stalwart hacker of the allied wor effort and opponent of Republicuns.. Even after the mcond world war when the now expelled liquidationists joined with the graduates of the University of the Curragh to revive ihe Party in the twenty-six counties, brish Staitn retained partitioned. While | wae melive in econombc issues and in propagandising for the East European workers" stabes, the brash Workers’ League tended te support the intemational and civd policy of Fianna Foil No support was fortheoming for the border campaigns of 1946, Ireland liad nol joined M.A.T-0. when that body was formed, So, regardiess-of its rotten welfare Service, its disintegraling tconemy ani imdeed the ineffective nature of the Republic's Beutrelity it was held to he “the most prog: ressive slate in Western Europe”, To tock the boat was for the Stalinist: anthinkable, I rie! be rernembered that during the ten yours that Rov Johnston was 4 member of [WL there bas been found no apparent documenlaty evidence showing him to have been ope ported to the Staiinit= tine, When he jell Dublin fer London in (960, he seemed to hive been moved jess by political disagree. meitt with his comrades than by a more traditional couse for emigration af Lrish modicals: be had to eat, the doctor in exile Nonetheless, while he waa in London, he pre sented his propose] for what amounted toa new for rather 2 return to a previous) departurein republican and Stalinist thinking, How far the idea was his own is still uncertain, For Hay people the actual master-mind was one Ciatan Desmond Greaves, the CLPAG.R,": “trish expert” whe combines contiderahls lilents as an academic. histearian with the polities: of a capable Stalinist hack. The difference moy be of seme Formal importince; if Greaves has been the guiding hard, Staliaile influence it still of more decisive strength it the Repoblican Movement (Gardiner Place) then it Joktcn Bh a pe oe cee Cir But what was: the content oof the articl that inticipalecd the new course? In form it was & sober description of the situation im the Republic of Ireland, similar to ones written by experts on other countries for such journals, Ireland was still declared to enjoy “the most progressive government in Western Burape though thia was qualified by the phrase “udged by (he criterion of attitude towards imperaliain. Party members were opnin urged to-read Jackson's “Ireland Her (hen anal, moro oddly, Dorothy Mac undies Fianna Fail apotogia,"The lish Repubpi However, what was different, was ihe Urtiche's pew sense oof appertunitythe Stalinite COMTes were uTped toy read in the coattext of a promising sitwalion, And, specifically, the Republican Movement despite its cuuirent political defeat was-mentioned as a component part of this, Young Republicans were mentioned ag reading “Che” Guevirs, Clearly i was the duty of Stalinists to pet-in on the act, What Johasten for tirearce?) Was Prope 205 in Lact, & return te the strategy of he carly thirtes. Then the Stalnisis had alized fo the Repubiican Movement to put Fiance Fail into power, Subecquentiy, they had attempted ta ume the struggle agaimet. the fascst Blucshirtt 2: a bunching pod for a continental — style Popular: Front against Fianna Fail itself, But they fad only managed to iplit and weaken Republican as a whole, aod had left it to the “pure military strategists". Johnston prepared to aed this-isola lion by the sonple capedieni of entering the Movement and manipulating it fram ingade, iAdmitiedly this tusk was easier than it had been im the [930's> the Movement bad. dect lined since then.) The polices to be curried out by sucha Popular Front would be the good old “two fif-not more) sluge sirategy" of moving forward by infinitesimal mtorms fowards Gome-nation sncinlisl society, “Me train rile Gf the Republican Movement, at least a8-far ae Greaves saw if, was. Ler wel smuill farmers and shopkeepers to an alliance wilh the Communist Party tor, talker Partiest which would) represent tht Poolerariat. This allianes would Be aimed al the vague, if beautiful ideal of “National Liberation” a-sort of national capitalist society equal to that of Htttain, after which the C.P- would lead the Irish to the promised aod: It waa i pereuance of this plan that Roy Johnston took the risk of joving wp his Rnglish job and returning te Dublin in 1963 the new course How far did Johnston's influence extend ir changing Lhe nature of the Republican Movement-? And how far did be change the Movement inthe direction he- would: want it te go? In-deating with the first question it must he remarked, firstly, that his-entry fo the Repithen Movement was helped by the objective situation. Especially among the Currughtntetnecs “Che” Guevara was being mad indecd, As 8 mattercof fuer Irsli Trotskyisor ag if is lo-day owes its beginnings to thal pected, However, the Fourth Inlernatiqnal waa, at this Lite too weak and divided to he of any poli tical influenee or puidance to the leftward imaving Repubticans, Thus the task devolved upem Johnston; he alone fad the knowledge to. provide the education tht Republicans required, Up toa point, then, he played a necessary rie tt educating the Republican Movement fer a more socilly-consciaus aad polities! attitude, Bur this education was nel carried aut for the good Of Che ingvenent itself but in the purse ofa strategy of dowbitul validity, Johnston ihe ERC was the overall aim Revolution, topaght Gf cack eliow Stekmets as Toy Cough » Bolhevik Party with perspective ta match? the intetlectuals arul would be intellectuals in “Two Stage Pheone. The University epoblimon Clubs were established to educate the iludents to provide cidrés io guide the movethal was pul forward under this guridunce had two gapects, On the one hand, there wut i return to traditional political republican activiam, though less in the iuidwetrial sphere (shop floor actu was encouraged to be the prerogetive of the CP.) than in other lesa specifically working class ieues. The movement played a tig role-in housing agitation, but othervise, as was to be expected, the United Irishman emphasised esencally petty BOUTgeEoIS ixues in Keeping with the pure “Nathonal Liberation Strugeie", Publicity wis given to agitation on ground rents, land and fiver ownership at a time when the [nish strike fale Wad the highest in the world, Along with petty bourgecis social activem there was a certain decline in the military sphere. Again, such a decline was natural after the military defeat of the 1950's campaipn, What is true is that “Pwo Stage Theory” encouraged it, National reunification betaine: a yery- minor part of the task of “Notional Liberation”. Indeed, propaganda waa instituted sesinst a possible “Federal Solution™ to the [ish question which would involre national mewsnlficathon under British Imperialism. While no doubt this what the economic situation and the. British linperialist interests alike dictate the actual possibility of it and its possible re sults wer never clearly analweed, In Northarn Lreland itself, emphasis was placed upon the campaign for Civil Rights rather than for unification. In the Republic, opposition to the doctor’s dilemma Lj E For over four years (1963-1968) the Jolsionian policies dad litte effect. More significantly when they did begin to work; when the ranks of [tish republicanism began to grow again as a pare result of Johnston's work, #0 his slralegy bepan to be superseded, The face is thal Republicanism doce represent a revolutionary tradition, however petly-bourpeois, whereas the Comintern represents a betrayal-of the revolution. Republicans began to lok with jaundiced eye upon the claimant fea the lesdership of the pestiheration of proletarial revolution. They were oot impressed ond began fo feel that if they could do the fob they would not be helped by interference from the CPi, This bebef was encouraged by the facts of the class relationships in [reland, While Republican activism won many mall farmers and fishermen, it repelled rather the urban petty bourgeoisie: the small shopkeepers-and the “NWattonal Capitalists” ta whom Johnston directed his conscious appeal Isstead, the morement won the loyalty of many workers by its leadership in the housing campiigns and by its militancy even for limited ends. So, far from being harmenious allies in a Sational Liberation movement the Sino Fein (Gardiner Place) and the CPI are becoming increasing rivals, However, within the former there are many conflicting tendencies which weaktns it and is likely to continue doing su, (in the natianal question itself the same is irae. The NICRA mebilised che Catholics but sould not fand weld oot try tol prowide a basis for working class unity, Al the sume lime, the stocks of arms for protection of Mationalisl ureas were allowed to decline. Thus these areas were forced lo welcone the British army in Awguet 1969. Thus; on the ane hand the oid guard republicans in the Republican Movement were giver the pretest for a splil, depriving Joluston of useTul aids for his limiting of the tasks of “'Mational Liberation”, {in the ofher hand, the Northern Commaad had to be given a greater independence of Gardiner Place if it was to Temain with: that Wing. Ht was-an activity. of that Northern Clammand that has caueed Johnston to resign from Sinn Fein, whither the officials? = . bad 1 [nitselt t he resignation meant hing. Johnston was used 23 soumething of a scapegoat for at least a vear previously. Moreover, his palicies will be comlinwed by maity still in postions of guthority. On the-one hand, these will continue equally to run inte opposition inherent in the situation itself, On the ather hand, the said situation cannot by itelf make the opposition wetorious in time for the Irish Ante Harris (Hibernia, Pbet Jandary) wonders if Ur. Johnston's ressenstion will soqn Gard ner Place’s move lefiwards, [toweut! The question is; can this move he hastened sufliclently for Gardiner Place to overtake and guide (he Irish situatian inte a successful Revoliion? Otous is tore likely noting the balance ol forces} will it have to be superseded: by The meet few montheare likely to be decisive. The ¢ra_of cuteLhraat oompetition between individual capitalists, where the larger, the more technically advanced undersald and took over the smaller, the less efficlent, has been passed, Ut resulted with rictory of hla capital, New machinery was necessary to increase efficiency, became mere expensive, the factones which house it had to be larger; although through mechanisation more was produced forevery olan empleved, the larger scale of procluction meant the average Hot eiiployed more men, Thus the indusiiial sectors of the economy saw the development of the large concer which were ueualby joint-stock as the capital required was beyond that oF individual ownersiup., Bat once they got this dar, whens few do miinated the markel, it was not in their interest to continue the ¢conemic war which pave birth to them, The merket could sup port thea profit margins sa why continue culling then? They had established enoue’ controLot the markel (5 agree on a commen selling peice at which those that survived could cach make a satisfactory profit. This is monopoly capitalism and the clevelopnent of the Gammon Market oust be seen merely asa product of the lawsot ca pitalist production, the laws which also indicate its: final overthrow by socialise,

srendum on the Common Market, the EEC will be second Struggle as a major political issue for the Irish working class.

What will be the effects on industry and on the national icle Paddy MacGregor explains the historical background tation of the EEC and examines some of the of the id’s entry Two work! wars saw the rise to international supenonty of American capitalism. After the Second Warld War two economies, thon of Germany and Japan lay devastated. The leading capilulist countries of Exrope were ol] weak due to the exertions of war, dn eortrast, the American economy bad emer ged stronger than ever and indeed had generited: a large surplus during the war. Supertically i appeared that nothing stood in the way of Amedecan capitaliain lo conselidate a ahsulute superiority overaliother cape falist nations.of the world. However, number of factors made Anierica reject hegemony and instead be instrumental in rebuilding of Western Europe.

birth of the eec The-aftermath of the first world war nad witaesed the birth of the first socialist cconemy inthe world and though the rev: lution-wae betrayed by a tureaiieratic laver: the bugis of growth hed been assured. This, by the end of the Second World Wara major Power, coonecieally and militanly, rose to confrant America: one she had no con: trol aver whitsoever, and sever could have. In the colonial countrica the struggle fer Gheralion resulted in the possibiliiy: ol swe cemsiul revolution and in (hem breaking away from impenalst contre) China clearty illu. minted the writing on the-wall, Faces with the Eastern European Bloc.on the one ade end the taxk of undermining the cele nial revolution on the other, America wag forced to strengiben the European and Japanese economics.

But this move was alo forced no America by the nati of her own Fconomy, Though very idvanced and strong, this merely cmphasited the contridictions inherent in i, As wai remarked before, the Second World War had resulted in a vast surplus Irie acco noted but it equld mot be invested at home because to generate it full Cinpooyimect bad been necessary. A consequence oF Pull employment had been a steep rise iM wepes are thus a fall in the rate of peazit, The huge sorporntions of America were Coed with the dilemma! having vist amountsof capital bil oe cutlets in which to inwesl it. The economies of Western Firape and Japan appeared as obvious channels:

When these economies developed under the bmpetve of Aamtrican isvestrent the " rapidly aporecigled bhe sleceeih ot Ue Ame Community. tion foonamy, Monopoly capital had progressed there until the hupe home maeket had become controled in toast sectors by a few giant corporations, This resulted ita tar greater scale of production than my one of the Eurapean nations the mstlyves could maintain. The alteniative to PCO MDe ay American satelite was bo come bite the European markets and create one of sufficient ize bo ovencome national linnitations, This course waa adepted by the formation of the European Econamic The move acknowledged the qualitative change that had occurred over the previous two decedes, Eurape had -become too small Lo support Nation slates: Pursuing vViEorsus independent polscies, The conflict arising Tiien them: had seriously weakemed them ind the spectre of socialist revolution had only been kept at bay hy the butthen of Slakn, The laws of capitalist development which hae originally dictated the ruthless competition between individual producers ad thes the iinperialist policies of monopoly capital, led in tumors the competition between international capitalists: As before Tt Oe uence was concentration, this Clint Gn ah ibermational scale the political expression of this his been to increasingly limit the scope of individual governments, The boat can be rocked only so far. as De Gaulle eventwally found eat, With free capital movement within the FRC the scale of preduction has increased, with ergrrs herweren some companiva and apgfermenls between other, As the workk capi talist countiiea move inte Tecession the tendency for liereased government co-0 perdtion in this field will become more pronouaced, Aerospace dnd nuchear power have outettipped private ownership and internaLinnea! government Funding was reaguizedd i Europe was to enter these fields. Beitain’s entry into the community will further ex:

tend the process which & already started. agriculture and the eec * a Agricullure is net as developed in the REC He in America which has witnessed the rise mf the corpoante company which controls production trom planting to sales distribelion, Plowever, the same liws of development hold as Mansholt‘s steering of che Common Apricultural Policy illmetrates, The Macchia Tires (6072/71) says “in Manaholt’s view the stage has been passed where farm incomes could be secured hy prize increases alone; the whole structure of farming needs changing, Small farmers who cannot operate efficiently must be persuaded to leave the land by financial ticentives; the promise of retraining for industrial jobs sad pensions for older farmer, The sive of production units must be nereased and eurplus farm Bad could be turned inte palicnal parks and other areas desipned as ‘reereatonal arcs’

‘The past war expansion of Burope-was dos Poncipaliy bo the new industria] revolution, the vast inerease in production of consumer durables hecwuse of war scurcity, Lhe emer:

gent arms industry and the rapid industriaiiaation of tcitain areas ear the main producing cenires, This expansion seems fo be on the decline now with the main economies MUVIE IDO Peekaboo, ACcomseiience of this will be inerensed rmotionalisution in terns:

of new production location. Phe reeianal disparities which already exist will be exaggttated a8 cGonomic necessity overrules scrcta) needs, Chis has led in scene cases to fiturbanes which will wmloubtedly conLinus i saiprodlinnad indilutionsiare developed Tart her, Aten within Che context of the laws of copitalist developovent which determined the creation of the REMC, irish capitalism faces continued crisis, Agriculrune, the mos im-= porlant sector of the economy which eogaged 322,000 persons in the 26 counties in 1967 will continue alone trenda which exist today, arid will alag accelerate them, The average unit must incrense in gize and capital inveatment, Thisis not new: | was happening behore the great Famine. There is only one way in which the communitses-of the West of lreland: must survive socially and thia ig hy the collectivization of apriculture, witty the pooling of machinery, tevether with the development of indiustoy to abserch the surplus labour. ireland and the eec Within or without the REC the regeanal problems of brelind cannot be solved by capitaliam, as the history of regions! development not only in treland but also in Great Britain and Europe already proves, The West in Wansholt's alan must become a nutural purk, a cecreational areca, Maybe fe will allevw a few inhabilants to remain, so that tourists May point cameras atthem and krow what the indigenous brishappear tke, Suchis capitalism's regard for human dignicy. The question of sowercignty within the framewark of capiralism is merely a-confue sion, Finanoe capital already stringently linita-all non-projetarian formes of government anid that most certainly includes Pisana Fail. Vhe liish economy isin the grip of Britith und industrial capital With the endie of the “Eianomic War’ under De Yalera and the introduction of free trade by Letass, Lrish manufseturog admitted its inability to stilve [relind’s economic pTobleos. The aovertignty of Ireland t menely a myth shicvuddiiy Brilieh bmperalism, For Treland ever to aupport ber people and tn advaned them socially she must nationalise hee industry and eallectivise her ageiculrures, Reno: none dewlapment must he wrestled from intermationil capitaligm and must be centrallatd ina state planning authority, The stute must accuine a monopoly of foreign trade so that the product: of exchanee benefit the working class and small farmer, To achieve this the working class: must seize state power through revolution. The choice confronting the Trish working class is nol whether ERC or not, bot whether capitalemn or socialiem, deECVSEALGOn Ob PVE NAL

“You're wasting your time fend this unin ied with Big Jim” this was the advice given an old shop steward to a Picugh salesman pot: aide the HQ of the Workers Union of Ireland. A few days later the bitter truth of those words was confirmedforus when the WW] voted by a harrow | 2 voles nol bo Oppose.ontry into the FEC. Apart from the political betrayal involved the Railroading tactics of the union leadership was deplorable. Out of the seven information documents on the EEC supplied to the conference delegates, six were propaganda sheets from the Department of Foreign Affairs!

The main argument pul up by the general secretary, Denia Larkin (who is not hie father’s som) was that Irish Industry could mot survive sulside the ERC, and many jobs would be lost, This may be troe, bul prospects within the EBC would be even worse, The government itelf expects the creation of no more than $0,000 jobs over the five years entry pened This would not cover the present 40,0040 unemployed not. to mention those who will be leaving school and ihe land over the same prriod., Moreover, when we consider thal the Comment Market is designed specially for gant monopoly companies we can sce the effect it will have on Irish Indwetry: abeady, Coaineds which 6 the largest brewery plas! m Eqrope mtends to ay off | 40 eorkers to make de more effi end for EEC oompeiition. bn the light of tke when one wideritands (hat £86 of [nak cs Leet employ ew than $ peope. one co stale the tragic consequences EEC member: ep ell beve of dairy breland. These cell fires will be washed away by the flood ef goods from the continental pants whoe wiles owt tier amounl to a mech of the whoie of oes roe Netional Proce"

Force would be decimated and condemned to eternal wandering. Then the WL would mdeed dhe — even if bite Dens were ill alive James Comwny The Mational Wage Agreement which came mio operation in December of 1970 has achieved its main aims: 1) a virtual wage freeze; 2) a decrease in the oumber of atrikes by over 50%; 3) a prool to the common mar: ket countries that Ireland is industrially wable, These were, of course, the aims that the Fianna Fail Government had in mind when they imbtroduced the agreement bel ween the employers and the Unions. So successful has the agresiment been for the bosses that the Federated Union of Employers and the Central Bank have called for an extension of ihe present agreement for a period of six months, and for a start to further discussions Of a second national wage agreement, It now up to the workers to oppose anv further agreement or “wage freeze" as they can be best called. The experience of the past years has proved conclusively thot these agreements operate only one way, in favour of the employers and the governoient. The Faced with growing unemployment and redundancies, and wage freezes under the guise of national wage agreements the Irish working class turn to their unions to defend their living standards..

For many union leaders however the ideals of James Larkin might not as well have existed. Today his own union favours joining the Common Market. tually, REDUNDANCIES Wednesday the (9th of January waa a hard dey for Free State TD's. It was the day that their meagre X-mas holidays came to an end, They had to face back to “work” after a mere six weeks holidave. Three hours after the Howse satan astute deputy was clever enough to notice that the Howse was almost empty. The quorum bells were- rung and our peor uederpaid reprearntatives vacated the Leinster House Bar, canteen and wherever else Chey may have been ond teok up the places.om the benches, Qoor they were there, fin body if mot in spirit) the debate wae able to.continue, And what was the aubject on the dehare for which our good TD's could nat even muster enough enthusiasm to Baten? Redundancies!

Merely the fact that [rsh Workers are being made redundant by the hundred cach week and ata rapidly accelerating tale, to the point where the coke quewes are rapidly growing to crisis proportions. Obviously our TD's and Ministers, the vasl majority of whom are either business owners, prolessionils, or mincher farmers, are nat concerned about the amount of human suffering caused to a worker when he is told by bis boss that his febour is mo longer required, Whal exactly i the redundancy situation like now? Aa even the most cogual observer can see, the post} war beam is how over aiid international capitalism is Soking inte another of ita inevitable recessiona: $0, a5 the big business men have their profits thréatened they react by cutting back on the workers living standards. If this ig not aufficient, they close down aod conaali qdlate Che poaicion in amaller aod more secure yentures. Always umong tle first to softer ape the workera in the less developed couniries like Ireland, Hig business men close down their subsidiaries here and try to consclidate their position in parent industry in the home country, although ina period of recesgion ¢ven the big parent fuchories suffer evenThe daily papers me port new closures and “rotionalixations” {a dice wold for gacking « — part ofa factory's workforce) almost eyeryday now, Sines December 1970 redundancies have increased in number of jobless by 3000 to 13,000 in Dublin, by 1200.im Cork, bringing their total to 2K68, Limerick hasan increase of 472, Drogheda 200, Drundatk 300, etc, The Industrial Development Authority admits. the posuibility of redundancies this year at the rate of 24 thatin 1769, but if the present trend continues it will be much worse.

What answer did the government come up with after that great two-day Dail debate? Fisona Fail denied point blank that there was any redondancy proplem, Although the Twomeach consoled ve by saying that be was neat “com placent”, Fianna Pail ncend to recruit 3000 mere men into the police and army, pul-approximately £23 mi extra into the Public Cupital Programme anid bring forward sore public building projects.

These miserable attempte will, of course, make no difference to the redundancy situation when intemational capitalism 12 in recession, The [rish povernovent apeding 23,000 000 is ike a drape in the aoean. [t is significant that the S000 jobs that they are providing will be used te further protect their profit ayarem by force of arms. Fianna Pail will net provide one job for the unemployed by ditecting resources into necedgary social production; this would wpaet their sacred profit systecn, lf the bosses do not think that their-protite are high endugh and want to racionalise or close down workers should not submit and be forced inte the dole quence. They should take over the factory and run il for the benetit of the people and not for the profit of a paraainic

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WUI VOTES FOR EEC

NO TO SECOND WAGE SETTLEMENT