Tony Benn calls for active resistance to savage public spending cuts.

[Devrim]

A semantic difference.

Normally, I would say it was. Here though I imagine that we see it very differently. I suspect that you see these sort of calls as a part of any struggle that may develop. I don't.

Except that the call is for "ordinary people" to mount "active resistance" to the cuts. It is not, therefore, an appeal to a top-down solution in the form of "we the signatories will do it for you." So at the most the illusion is that these individuals have the influence to start the ball rolling.

An illusion that you seem happy perpetuating. Struggle against attacks on working conditions and wages can only be class based, not based upon public pronouncements of bourgeois MPs and trade union General Secretaries, who almost certainly if people on the ground were organising action, would be there to call it off and if necessary condemn it, alongside a few leftist intellectuals.

In the UK when all the mainstream parties agree that the workers will have to pay for the bosses crisis and the only disagreement is the time-scale for this, then this it is a welcome, if small, step forward for a publicly visible call for some alternative - particularly one which is based on a call for "active resistance".

If anything it creates illusions, nothing more.

Devrim

[Hit The North]

Normally, I would say it was. Here though I imagine that we see it very differently. I suspect that you see these sort of calls as a part of any struggle that may develop. I don't.

Imagine what you like. The fact is that it takes two to struggle and the Con-Dem government' s austerity package signals that the struggle has begun, at least as far as our class enemies are concerned. So far, the battle lines have been drawn and now we wait for the first fusillade from the enemy to strike. Until the cuts hit and the public sector attempts to enforce redundancies we have no way of knowing what depth the resistance will have.

It's clear that resistance is already happening in small pockets but this needs deepening and generalising. This initiative is merely a small articulation of that. It would be disingenuous of you to suggest I've argued for a greater significance to it.

An illusion that you seem happy perpetuating.

Why, because I posted news of this report? That doesn't endorse anything! Really, my intention was to inform only.

Struggle against attacks on working conditions and wages can only be class based, not based upon public pronouncements of bourgeois MPs and trade union General Secretaries, who almost certainly if people on the ground were organising action, would be there to call it off and if necessary condemn it, alongside a few leftist intellectuals.

Well put and true. Although I think a number of those signatories would remain supporters of resistance when it finally catches its breath. Obviously, that might not amount to much: Extemporised Kitchen-sink Theatre Against the Cuts with Mike Leigh, anyone?

Perhaps I need to be chastised for my cheerful but unwarranted optimism.

Anyway, for those who remain interested (and I think it is at least interesting), here is a link to the so-called Coalition of Resistance: http://coalitionofresistance.wordpress.com/

[bailey_187]

yo is there a demo tomorow in london? i think i heard this somewhere

[Devrim]

It's clear that resistance is already happening in small pockets but this needs deepening and generalising. This initiative is merely a small articulation of that.

If people are already struggling against these cuts surely it would be better to publicise that rather than this statement. This statement is not an articulation of struggle though, even a small one. At best it is merely diversionary. At worst it provides a left cover for union leaders who will later be involved in calling off strikes and actively sabotaging them.

It would be disingenuous of you to suggest I've argued for a greater significance to it.

I think that you are pushing this as if it is a part of a workers' struggle. It isn't.

Perhaps I need to be chastised for my cheerful but unwarranted optimism.

It is not about optimism. It is about realising what class struggle is and what it isn't.

[Hit The North]

I think that you are pushing this as if it is a part of a workers' struggle. It isn't.

If that was the case, I would have placed it in the Worker Struggles forum, so "think" again. Still, feel free to quote where I argue this.

It is not about optimism. It is about realising what class struggle is and what it isn't.

No shit.