Date: Tue, 20 Aug 96 11:58:32 GMT
From: Adam Rose <adam-AT-pmel.com>
Subject: Re: Australia - whats happening



Just when I was getting completely pissed off, Tony Hartin
gives us this post  from Australia. Thanks, Tony.

Tony,
In France at the end of last year, some rank + file organisations
were set up, but they were not strong enough to take the leadership
of the movement, once the government gave some concessions, and the
bureaucrats really put the brakes on. Is there any sign of this sort
of thing happenning ?

[ in fact , the overall pattern seems quite similar: "Left government
becomes unpopular - right comes in, overconfident - goes on all out
offensive, not "salami tactics" - some bureaucrats give an opportunity
for rank + file to mobilise - movement becomes much more radical than
bureaucrats anticipated" . Let's hope the rest of the story :- 
"bureaucrats move left - government backs off - bureaucrats demobolise
movement - rank + file not sufficiently organised, no political alternative
to reformism of union leaders - bureaucrats successful" is not the same]

One difference, so far at least, is that the Frech police remembered 1986,
when their violence triggered off massive student demos, and then the rank
+ file led rail strikes ( I went over for one of the student demos - joint
smoking students controlled the streets completely ). So this time round, in
France, they were careful not to provoke workers again ( except I think in
one of the mining towns ). 

Adam.


Adam Rose
SWP
Manchester
UK


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