This program reflects both the strengths and weaknesses of the CPGB. The strength is: it "puts politics in the lead." CPGB is not afraid to press the question of state form to the hilt, in contrast to the narrow economism of so many (especially Trot) programs, which are practically indistinguishable from Social Democratic ones. It's especially heartening that "abolition of the monarchy and the house of lords" is the very first concrete measure in the program. Abolition of copyrights and patents. Oh lord, this is important and neglected. Despite my reservations about length (see below) I almost feel this deserves more space. The American Proudhonists (e.g. Benjamin Tucker) have a lot of important things to say on this subject - Marxists would do well to be more familiar with them. The section on Scotland and Wales - eh. This is a tricky question with lots of traps, and I almost think the text as written falls into every trap imaginable. Do they need to oppose "every form of Scottish and Welsh national narrow-mindedness"; seems a bit insulting to single it out, even with a disclaimer about English-British chauvinism. Then raising the specter of secession - which I don't think the nationalists even believe in anymore. And then advocating a federal republic. Seriously: I live in a federal republic. They suck. I think the watchword should be 'autonomy' and not 'federalism'. Something more flexible, less prone to sectional reaction and capitalist divide-and-conquer than what we have in the US. Also need to emphasize the class nature of Scottish and especially Welsh subjection. Now, I said the programme reflects both the strengths and weaknesses of the CPGB. Their main weakness is a tendency to wordiness and abstraction. The obligatory crisis of capitalism section suffers from this especially. Better to cut it to the bone, and attach the rest in expanded form as a commentary, a la Kautsky. It also slips in during the economic demands sections. There are really too many points to hold in one's head. A few of them are trivial, others duplicative; most could be proposed by any Old Labour type party. I like the cut of this programme's jib; I only wish the cut were sharper.
