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news report
 Thursday February 27, 2003 12:58 by Stalin's airbrush - Not the SWP
 But that was back in September and today its been airbrushed from their web site 'Some in the movement have counter-posed direct action tactics to marches and demonstrations. This is a false opposition.' 'Just as active protest is stronger than passively sitting at home, so militant tactics of protest are more effective.' 'What we need is large-scale direct action conducted by large numbers of people.' This is what is being proposed this March 1st in Shannon Google thought this article should have been at http://www.swp.ie/resources/Direct%20Action%20and%20Revolution.htm, but its been removed from the SWP site. But Google has a cahe of web pages that no longer exist. This Cached version of the web page is at This is the article Direct Action and Revolution The demonstrations at the end of September showed the anti-war movement speaks for thousands of people. In Dublin over three thousand marched against the war. In London, a staggering 400,000 took part in what was the biggest protest since the second world war. In addition there were further protests in Washington DC and San Francisco in the United States as well as Rome, Spain, Egypt, New Zealand on the same day. The importance of protest marches like this is three-fold. It is a public expression of opposition to the war. The mobilisation of large numbers of citizens on the streets contradicts the conventional view that politics is for specialists?an activity which takes place over the heads of ordinary people. When numbers of people take to the streets to protest they are in effect saying that they are not going to leave it to this or that politician but are prepared to take things into their own hands. No serious change in society is possible unless thousands of people adopt this attitude, whether over the war; job losses and redundancy payments or any other issue. Secondly the experience of taking part in a protest march with thousands of other gives confidence to people. It proves we are not on our own. And it helps to arm people with arguments to take back to their workplaces, colleges or communities to build the mass movement. Thirdly, taking protest action encourages people to organise further action in their locality, trade union, school, etc. As a result of large public meetings and protests, there now exists a large network of people in the localities building the anti war movement. Just as active protest is stronger than passively sitting at home, so militant tactics of protest are more effective. Large-scale direct action and civil disobedience really begins to challenge the prerogatives of our rulers. For example the campaigns of mass non-payment against service charges have been effective in forcing local councils to end water charges and are presenting a real challenge to their imposition of bin charges. The most effective actions are organised where workers are strongest?in the workplace. Mass political strikes are a demonstration of the potential power of the working class to change things. And occupations of workplaces really begin to challenge to right of the capitalists to control the economy. Some in the movement have counter-posed direct action tactics to marches and demonstrations. This is a false opposition. The key issue though is mass participation. In the anti-capitalist demonstrations across Europe and elsewhere in the last couple of years, groups who regard themselves as the experts in direct action tactics had a vogue. They quickly ran up against a major problem: Tactics which are the preserve of a minority exclude the participation of masses of people. And small groups are relatively easy for the police to contain or defeat. What we need is large-scale direct action conducted by large numbers of people. The courageous daubing of US fighter aircraft by anti war activists in Shannon a few weeks ago caught the imagination of many. What we need to do now is to link this flair to a movement of thousands of people. We need to build a mass movement of opposition to the war that can bring hundreds and thousands of people to confront the US machine whether at through protests at Shannon Airport, the US Embassy or in work stoppages.. Therefore mass rallies and marches will continue to have a crucial role in building the resistance to Bush?s War without End and encourage the participation of large numbers of people in the movement. We in the Socialist Workers Party look forward to the time when masses of workers take over their industries, factories and workplaces through democratically elected workers? councils. These would democratically plan and re-organise the economy to ensure production for human need and not for profit. This would be the revolutionary mass direct action that could truly change the world. Every protest, demonstration and strike where ordinary people take action on their own behalf contains a foretaste of this. |
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Comments (23 of 23)
Jump To Comment: 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1Angela you may not have criticsed tomorrows planned action but one of the leaders of your party sure as hell has - and on RTE to boot.
1. Only the SWP seemed to be aware that a DA was planned and in particular that we were going to try and push into the hotel.
Really, from the start didn't know anything was planned. Like I said a few of the people dressed up in suits etc moved first, there was no SWP planning.
2. There were far too many cops and security there for it ever to have worked as a few of them could block the door.
As I recall a handful of uniformed cops but more security did manage to block the door. If you look at the video maybe only 75 or so actually were at the entrance, the security were outnumbered but it wasn't really possible to get in although one person did.The the cops turned up en masse.
You say too many cops were there for it to work, what if that is the case tomorrow?
You say you kept your criticisms until now. I haven't criticised the DA tomorrow, if you look you will see that I hope it works. Let everyone do what they want to do without having a go because you don't agree.
There was no plan to do any direct action on the Feb 15th march because we recognised that was neither the appropiate time or appropiate place. The 'DA bloc' was simply intended to bring together people who supported direct action at Shannon. I had thought this was made pretty clear in advance (but it may suit you to pretend otherwise).
Apart from that we don't posture about direct action. We approach it with a cool head and normally manage to pull it off without violence or a load of arrests.
The Burlington demonstration was an onject lesson in 'how not to do it'. As the court cases are over we can now start to discuss it. The problems included
1. Only the SWP seemed to be aware that a DA was planned and in particular that we were going to try and push into the hotel.
2. There were far too many cops and security there for it ever to have worked as a few of them could block the door.
3. This posturing turned into a disaster with the daft decision to stay in the car park rather then disperse. This allowed to cops the time to get re-inforcements, arrest people (pretty randomly) and it led to convictions for a couple of people and hundreds of hours of wasted time for others.
However unlike the SWP we kept our criticisms to ourselves at the time and until the court cases were over. Thats called solidarity, you should try it some time. It helps to make friends and influence people.
>>The difference at the Burlington was there was not a serious number of police, counterpose that to next Saturday.
There were still more than enough police there to easily prevent the protest from getting into the hotel. But still, the SWP wanted to try to push through police lines.
Same thing at the last IAWM protest in Shannon. The IAWM beforehand said they would try to get into the terminal, and if not they'd have a rally outside.
>>As far as I know there is a lot of posturing from AF and WSM and possibly yourslef Ray about DA a lot of the time.
The AF and WSM have been involved in organising direct actions at Shannon, including tomorrow's. The SWP tend to talk a lot about how radical and revolutionary they are, but don't actually do anything that would interfere with their ability to sell papers.
In Dublin there was a DA bloc, no? Did it achieve anything on F15?<<
There was no attempt made to do anything on the 15th.
On December 8th what DA was done.<<
Take a look at the old features, and find out what happened, and why...
I din't hear Richie condemn next Saturday this morning on RTE.<<
No, he just kept saying that it would be small and badly-organised. Solidarity, comrade!
As it stands the plan seems very well organised but doesn't mention the possibility of there being a line of gardai before the fence.<<
As Andrew said, this possibility has been discussed.
As I recall Ray at the Burlington, a few of the people dressed up moved first and a lot of the people who had been chanting etc followed.
What resulted was 14 people getting arrested and bloody hell what a long time to wait for the last cases to be processed.
The difference at the Burlington was there was not a serious number of police, counterpose that to next Saturday.
As far as I know there is a lot of posturing from AF and WSM and possibly yourslef Ray about DA a lot of the time. In Dublin there was a DA bloc, no? Did it achieve anything on F15? On December 8th what DA was done. The biggest DA was when someone rahther intentionally as I heard pulled down the fence in Shannon and people sauntered on the grass, I don't think anyone was expecting that. The IAWM has been clear that it wants the biggest and broadest anti war movement. I din't hear Richie condemn next Saturday this morning on RTE.
There is a threat of war and the deaths of innocent people. Some believe that tearing down the fence on Saturday will do more than a mass movement - that is their right to believe that. Personally I believe that it has been spelt out enough for people to know that violence is not part of the plan and I really do hope it works. However, knowing that there will be a massive security presence there, can anyone supply an update for what is going to hapeen if people cannot get near the fence. As it stands the plan seems very well organised but doesn't mention the possibility of there being a line of gardai before the fence.
The point is, you fucking muppet, that they deleted the article from their site because their policy has changed and they want to airbrush history in case any of their young, brain-washees should happen upon it and ask "but why are we against direct action now?"
About the taxi drivers dispute - if I was you I'd get out the airbrush since that shameful backing of a petit-bourgeois cartel does ye no credit.
There is a good reason why anonymous defenders of the SWP are often assumed to be SWP members - coz they fucking always are. Haven't you noticed that the population of political activists who support the SWP and aren't in the SWP is VERY SMALL INDEED.
How many people were at the Burlington, when SWP policy was to try to force their way into the hotel? A lot fewer people than will be at Shannon.
Typical bloody SWP. Full of radical posturing in the safety of a meeting or a paper sale, but when there's a real possibility of effective direct action where are they?
Still Waving Placards
Happy to babble on about Trotsky's glorious Red Army, students taking to the streets in '68, the great days of the Poll Tax Riot and, of course, the Spirit of Seattle. But cutting down a fence? Heavens no!
But make no mistake, the SWP are committed activists, for whom no direct action is too tough, no barrier too great to tear down in the cause of proletarian revolution! As long as it all happens somewhere else, some time way off in the future, and its someone else actually doing the revolting.
Never has the 'toytown revolutionaries' label seemed so appropriate.
Well the article is written 4/5 months ago yet the wanker on the top says its a new policy change. yet for the record i remember the burlington, i remember the taxi dipute etc etc
there policy has always been DL but on a mass term
But then again badman you are the nelf appointed non hierarchical non leader that through his inspired action will show people the new light
cos his elitism is in the action.
How long before i get slurred as been an swp member?
arsehole
So you say that the SWP are spoiling the chances of the DA, so in your logic Airbrush if the DA fails it is the fault of the SWP?
What are you doing to make Saturday successful?
I, myself have no problem with the DA on Saturday, everyone can decide what they want to do, however I don't honestly think it will achieve anything but that is not to say don't do anything, of course people must try if they believe it.
I just wonder what the gardai will do. Will they let anyone marching with the white flag anywhere near the airport? If that happens will the DA spontaneously chanage? How will everyone know what to do?
I agree that DA has been one component in highlighting the issue here but please don't put that way ahead of all the work done by the many people who have done alot to get the movement where it is today as well.
even Stalin waited a few years before he'd take an airbrush to history.
simpleton
It makes liars and hyorocrites out of them and shows them as the little whores we know and love, um yes.
can i get all hot and bothered about a FUCKIN ARTICLE WRITTEN 4/5 MONTHS AGO
Dullards!
Leaves 6am from Belfast City Hall on Saturday morning
The IAWM (SWP and SP) had pressure put on them by SIPTU who threaded to withdraw support if they particapted in the DA.
they (SWP and SP) wet themselves and crawled back to this position.
It's a disgrace. It's hyprocritical and lets you know just how hard and fast these boys are with their morals and ethics.
Makes ya wonder how long it'd take them to change their beliefs once they got their oily hands on a bit of power.
Angela my main concern is seeing the direct action at Shannon on Saturday is successful. The SWP are relevant to this because through their control of the IAWM they are doing everything in their power to make sure it is not. The article above raises the question of why the fuck they are doing this as on paper at least they agree with the action.
Certainly with all the British troops in the North, all part of the Bush/Blair war machine, there are all kinds of opportunity for direct action. Why do they have to travel to Shannon?
So in a world that is on the brink of war you are wetting yourself about the SWP? Why?
Hope Saturday goes well, I really do, I hope direct action takes off in a big way all over the country. Fair play to everyone involed who brought over 100,000 onto the streets of Dublin and the millions on to the World Stage against war. It took from those who hopped over the fence to those who put up one poster, may it continue.
heard that most of them belfast swp bunch are now boycotting the demo because of the chicken shit approach of their Southern liberal leadership and are going to hold their own direct action soon instead
I could be lying but in that case why would I include the URL at the start of the post. Would that not make it a bit too easy to catch me out?
Or it could be that at the time the article was posted (11:57am) the page was not there but by the time you post (1:20pm) the page had been put back.
The bigger issue though is why the SWP line changed.
It is still on the website, just checked it myself, if you don't believe me go into swp.ie, click 'resources', then 'online resources about socialism', scroll down and hey presto there it is. r u a t?
And always has been - Eurasia are our eternal allies!