Irish Left Archive: Class Struggle, Issue no. 10 Apr-Aug 1982, Irish Workers Group

To download the above please click on the following link. class_struggle_apr_82.pdf

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Many thanks to the person who forwarded this to the Archive.

This edition of Class Struggle joins others in the Archive – it dates from 1982, it encompasses a wide range of subjects in just 44 pages.

It argues that ‘Crisis Deepens for World Capitalism and Stalinism’, examines El Salvador, asks ‘Socialists and Republicans – What basis for unity in action?’. It also examines ‘Revolution and Counter-Revolution in Poland’ and closer to home looks at ‘After the Southern Elections’.

There is no editorial as such, but the article on the February 1982 General Election lays out the position of the IWG clearly. It argues that:

The February General Election… showed as starkly as ever since Partition the outright political treachery of the Labour movement leadership in the disgusting role of the LP and the silence of the TU Leaders. At the same time it warned the Irish bourgeoisie and its financial overlords that its two-party parliamentary system of hoodwink has worn precariously thin. What the elections have not done, however, despite the many claims, os to provide any alternative political voice speaking go rate real needs of the exploited and oppressed.

It criticises those left of the Labour Party:

The newly elected 3 deputies of SFWP and the ‘Left’ TDS T.Gregory and J.Kemmy when faced with the chance to vote against both capitalist nominees for Taoiseach, instead pledged their support to the capitalist parties. In this they squandered a key opportunity to force the capitalist parties either to ally together as the kind of anti-working class government they obit stand for, or else to take full responsibility or another election.

The conclusion is particularly critical of Tony Gregory and argues:

Gregory’s action is one more setback in the principled and unbending struggle for a programme and party truly and independently representing all of the interests of the working class.

One small aspect of the publication is that it lists the illustrations used.