From: Adam Rose <Adam-AT-pmel.com>
Subject: M-I: RE: Odder thoughts on Britain
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 1997 13:58:53 -0000



> I am also inclined to agree with Tom Nairn's observation that 
England the
> real England is irredeemably tory.

And I'm inclined to think that Tom Nairn is a Scottish Nationalist, 
who is
bound to write off the English working class.

> There was also a serious critique of Blair's politics from I suspect 
Will
> Hutton in an Observer editorial.  Basically Hutton wants Labour 
elected but
> worries that Blair is so right wing that he may not launch the sort 
of
> Keynesian program necessary to revive British industry.

Even  the Guardian reading ( and writing ) intellectuals are 
completely
pissed off with Blair. Most ex SDP supporters are too left wing for 
Blair.
Shocking really.

> I have no idea what the working class will make of all this.  I 
suspect they
> are ignoring Blair and just want the Tories out. The defeat of the 
Tories
> will still represent something of a victory for the working class, 
though
> the struggle against the Labour government if one should eventuate 
will be
> particularly bitter.

Indeed.

> I have a student doing a thesis on cultural opposition to 
Thatcherism

Specifically CULTURAL opposition ? Nothing in particular comes to 
mind.

There were debates all through the 80's in various ISJ's about 
culture.
But we spent most of the 80's arguing against the idea that there was
some cultural phenomenon called Thatcherism. So you'll find lots
of stuff in ISJ's and Reviews arguing against the commonly held
wisdom of the time :  the working class is in decline, they're all 
bought off
 mortgages, share ownership ) etc which informed the "cultural" 
"opposition"
to Thatcher.

When it comes to films, Peter Greenaway's "The cook, the thief, his 
wife,
and her lover" , Mike Lee's "Life is Sweet" , and all of Ken Loach's 
stuff
illustrate various responses., with varying degrees of pessimism.

Re:Interpenetration of Capital - look in the latest ISJ - Harman on 
Globalisation.
He quotes some figures - but more importantly, he'll quote his 
normally copious
references.

Adam.

Adam Rose
SWP
Manchester
Britain.







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