From: jbm7-AT-tutor.open.ac.uk (Jim Monaghan)
Date: Mon, 16 Feb 1998 11:14:28 -0000
Subject: M-I: Amsterdamn Treaty


There are a number of strands on the Amsterdam debate.
A)	One I think the EU is an imperialist and racist alliance. Can it be
reformed? I think not. Does it unite the European working class leading
to the possibility of real joint actions across frontiers? Maybe, the
recent unemployment action are a positive sign
B)	The Greens. Yes they are confused with lots of nonsense. But they
are very reminiscent of the early socialist movement with the
theosophists and other weird and wonderful types. Could it be that
after the nightmares of Stalinism that the idealist youth of today have
to redo the lessons of the past? Maybe they are rightly repelled by the
sectarianism and nit-picking semantics that infest the left ( even the
left I expouse). I remember a report on a joint East/West Feminist
conference where those who lived in states practising actually existing
socialism cringed at the mention of the word preferring something
called humanism which when discussed at the same meaning as Socialism
had for the western feminists. The Irish greens are by and large a
decent crowd and Patricia McKenna (euroMP) is fearless in her
campaigning on many causes. The question for us is are we helpful in
clearing away the confusion or are we part of the problem.
C)	Socialists have to fight on terrain created by Capitalist
Imperialism. How do we best intervene in the EU taking into account
that it exists? Is the terrain really pan European or national. Do we
need real European alliances to combat the enemy? How do we do it?
Trade Union alliances that are only expensive holidays for bureaucrats
are not enough.
D)	Europe oppresses those national states in its periphery and also
those inside like the Basques, Irish etc. Where do these struggles fit
in? Do they?
E)	Is there a socialist alternative e.g. the United Socialist States of
Europe? Or is this an outdated slogan based on the needs of the
European working class in the time of the danger of intra European
conflict as in the two world wars.
Jim Monaghan




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