Date: 04 Mar 96 23:17:04 EST
From: Jon Flanders <72763.2240-AT-compuserve.com>
Subject: Reply to: Re: Reply to: Re: labor


 >> I don't think it is fair for you to argue that the Trostkyists in
Minneapolis didn't achieve much lasting influence - the main thrust of my
argument would be to cite the CP, which was seen at the time as a sizeable
revolutionary, non parliamentary" ( I can't think of the correct American term
- "constitutional" perhaps ) party.

 The history of the US labor movement has been one of massive waves of
struggle subsiding to leave little in the way of permanent political
organisation.

 I don't believe that Labor Party type organisations tend to grow during these
upsurges, but after their defeat. <<Adam Rose

 Minneapolis...I don't know quite what you are saying here. The Dobbs and
Dunne brothers leadership did get quite influential there at the time, it just
never developed into mass support for the SWP's socialist program.

 US Labor Movement...I think the formation of the Socialist Party of Debs was
a pretty significant quasi-permanent organization. Since Debs participation
followed his experience with the Pullman strike, I suppose that fits your
analysis.

 Labor Party organizations....follow defeats? I guess maybe there is some
truth to that, since workers learn from Pullman type struggles the need for
political organization. In that case, we certainly have had enough defeats in
the last twenty years here in the US. Here you seem to differ from Jim Miller
and my friends in the SWP US. They argue that you need a great and presumably
victorius upsurge to create the the ground for a labor party, or I suppose, a
Bolshevik party, which they would prefer to see. Wouldn't everybody?

 I don't know what is going to happen. I just  think that the labor party idea
makes sense in today's political climate in the US. Who knows how the LPA
specifically will turn out?

 On another subject....I just found out that rail workers organized by the
United Transportation Union voted down a proposed contract with the Illinois
Central Railroad. This is coming as a surprise, even to people opposed to the
current national agreement being debated and voted on as we speak. This raises
the possibility of  a turn down of the national. Could get interesting then. I
certainly think the union leadership wants very much not to embarass Clinton
with a strike before the election. We shall see.

 Best, Jon Flanders

  E-mail from: Jonathan E. Flanders, 04-Mar-1996




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