“Citizens, Fhe author of the article is either consciously…”

Citizens, Fhe author of the article is either consciously trying to mislead his readers or he has missed the point. We do not deny that PD has consistently attacked loyalism, has consistently warned of the dangers of seeing common ground with loyalists because of occasional pseudo-radical verbiage, has consistently reported intimidation and assassination of Catholics by loyalists and the part played therein by the forces of the Crown. But they have not explained why they consider the loyalists to be fascists, Instead the writer of the article shifts his position towards the end of the article.

The change of position is not unprepared. At the beginning of the article are a few sneers at the RMG and “theories on the nine points of classical fascism”) A convenient, but not very convincing, method of avoiding certain questions. No need to explain that “‘classical’’ fascism has its mass base in the petty bourgeoise and this doesn’t quite tie in with loyalism and its mass base in a labour aristocracy. No need to go into the question of “classical” fascism's links with finance capital and more specifically heavy industry and finding the connection between this and loyalism’s dependance on an entirely different class in Ulster. All this is only “developing theories on the nine points of classical fascism”’.

Near the end of the article the PD theoretician springs it on us in capital letters. When we talk about fascism, we are referring the phenomenon which manifested itself in Italy and Germany in the ‘20s and ’30s. The movement which was analysed by Trotsky and Danie! Crerin, The fascism”’. “classical fascist’, “Ulster Fascism”

PD claim to be Marxists and, as they have Doubtless there are articles waiting to be Star which will analyse in detail this new phenomenon and explain how end why it ideology which is raising its head again under the banner of the National Front. Not so the theoreticians of PD. When they talk about fascism they are talking about an “entirely new concept — Ulster fascism”. What, if any, connection this new concept has with “classical fascism” is not made very clear. But from that point on we can assume that there are two different phrases in the vocabulary of the theoreticians of PD. There is “classical fascism” and there is “Ulster Unfortunately, this is still somewhat confusing because, despite what is said in Unfree Citizen we do not deny that fascist elements exist within the ranks of the loyalists (see the article in the same Plough on the National Front). We believe that there isa qualitive difference between these fascists and the loyalists and that to refer to both as fascists simplifies the work of the Furthermore, on the question of this ‘entirely new concept — Ulster Fascism”’ there are some points which PD have failed to clarify. When did “Ulster fascism’” come into existence? The uncovered this entirely new thing, they will not be slow to explain its origins and developments.

published in forthcoming copies of the Northern differs from the traditional loyalist ideology. BELFAST Presumably there will be explanations of why the loyalist ideology was abandoned and was replaced by this new creature “Ulster Fascism”.

We assume that the paragraph in the article which seems to imply that the creature hasn’t appeared yet is merely a slip of the pen and not an indication of the author’s confusion. (“We are confident that we will not have to wait until the animal appears to know what it looks like — we will be ready and waiting for it”). To dwell on that would be a petty criticim so correctly disliked by the P.D.

Finally the author of the article in Unfree Citizen sees our article on the UWC strike as damaging to the “Unity which PD and the RMG have been able to provide on the question of the Loyalists.” There are several points which the RMG has in common with P.D. Among them is an uncompromising hostility to the forces of loyalist reaction, We may differ with PD concerning the characterisation of the loyalists but we do not disagree in our condemnation of the belief of both factions of the republican movement, that they can come to an agreement with the loyalists, without betraying the interests of the Irish working class. There is a basic agreement between the Revolutionary Marxist Group and Peoples Democracy on the immediate dangers facing the anti-unionist population and this polemic will not interfere with our work together in the face of this danger.

atmosphere in the North. Instead of seeing the