One group fighting the fascists on the streets of Britiain with modest success is
AntiFa
They do need to work on their propaganda though
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In 1933, a serious economical decline culminated in Hitler being appointed chancellor. The 10 years before had been perfect opportunity for the proletarian in Germany to seize power, described by Leon Trotsky as a ‘revolutionary situation’. As predicted by Marx and Engles, capitalism had exhausted itself. There may well have been a revolution, if not for the moronic actions of the two main workers parties, the Communist Party (The Stalinists) and the Social Democratic Party (The reformists). Because these two were to busy arguing amongst themselves, they opened a clear path for Hitler and his goons with dire consequences. Millions of Jews, Communists, Gypsies, Disabled people, Homosexuals, and anyone considered un-Aryan, or a danger to the nazi regime, were murdered. There was no united front against the dangers of fascism in Germany; the problem of fascism was not recognized. These parties failed to convince the proletarian that the bourgeois were the cause of their repression, and allowed them to be fooled that the Jews were the problem, despite the fact that the majority of Jews in Germany were in the same miserable condition as the rest of the proletarian.
The British National Party and the National Front are attempting to do something similar today. In Oldham and Bradford, where there is a high proportion of unemployment in whites, these neo-nazis are trying to lay the blame on the Asians. In an almost mirror like situation to Germany, proletarians are not realizing that their condition is due to the bourgeois state, but are being fooled that Asians are ‘stealing’ their jobs. These groups will start of using propaganda, pushing leaflets through doors, putting up posters with the same racist slogan: ‘Rights for Whites’. They try to fool the proletarian into thinking that through fascism they can achieve emancipation, despite being committed capitalists. It is in the early stages that the fascists are most vulnerable; while they have yet to win the trust of the white proletarian.
Counter propaganda is the best way to combat fascism in the early stages. Every racist leaflet, racist poster, even racist graffiti, must be countered with a socialist message. The fascists will be stopped in their tracks. If they fail to win the trust of the white proletarian, then the majority of the white proletarian will see them for what they are: racist, sexist, sectarian, homophobic, xenophobic thugs.
However, sometimes, like in Oldham and Bradford, the fascists manage to establish themselves. In these cases the fascists have won the support of the majority of the white proletarian. However, this support can be won back. When the BNP and/or NF have established themselves in an area, propaganda is not powerful enough on its own, although still useful in raising awareness. A United Front of socialists, communists, greens, youth, and all anti-racists must be formed in order to drive out the fascists. Protests and strikes must be organized, meetings must be invaded. Anything and everything must be used against the fascists, even violence.
The question of whether violence should be used against fascists is a strait forward one. The answer is: yes, if necessary. A socialist once said: “Why should I debate with fascists? Fascists would like to see me dead. Why should I debate with someone who wants me dead?” Sometimes force must be used against the fascists, and has been used before, successfully. The BNP were forced from their only regular ‘paper sale’ in Brick Lane, East London. The BNP’s HQ in Welling was shut down, all through force.
After the fascists have been driven from an area, the United Front must remain, but taking a new form. The United Front must form into a party, which will give the proletarian a socialist alternative. This is already happening in Britain today, the CNMWP (Campaign for a New Mass Workers Party) is being built in order to challenge the bourgeois politics of the capitalist parties, and to defeat the fascists. A voter who voted for the BNP was quoted as saying “I also voted for the BNP in the local elections not because I agree with them. I loathe and detest what they stand for. I did it as a protest.” This quote sums up perfectly what the best way to combat fascists are: To build a socialist alternative.
EDIT: Sorry I should have posted this in Anti Fascism
One group fighting the fascists on the streets of Britiain with modest success is
AntiFa
They do need to work on their propaganda though
Also Unite Against Fascism is a large and non sectarian group which fights fascism. In fact it does evertthing you've mentioned (except forming political parties or puting up socialist posters - rightly so in this case as that often puts people off). I have no objection to fascists getting beaten up but other people do and are likley to side with them at least on that if they do. We aren't fighting the fascists directly we're fighting there support base, this isn't gang warfare it's spreading the truth. I know this message probably won't be popular but with UAF I fight the fascists all the time, leafleting, protesting, petioning and just talking to people. I would be going to Burnely on saturday to help the campaign there but I'm working that night.
Britons who vote for the BNP deserve to be killed by Islamist groups.
wHat the BNP are doing is playing on the publics fear of terrorism and with the media twinning together terrorism and Islam the BNP are exploiting this by making policies people will go for. The media are giving the BNP ammo in the form of publicity. Is saw an article in a British Paper the other day which said 55% of the british public agreed with the BNP's policies but when told it was a BNP one the figure decreased to 48%. It's scary that my fellow citizens are so easy to manipulate.
"BELIEF IS OUR MOST POWERFUL WEAPON"
Iroquois Xavier aka The Ghost
ASTON VILLA FC FOREVER!
CELTIC FC FOREVER!
AS LIVORNO CALCIO FOREVER!
FC ST. PAULI FOREVER!
NEW YORK GIANTS FOREVER!
GOD LOVES HIS CHILDREN THAT'S WHY HE KILLS THEM.
I was a member of Anti-Fascist Action (AFA) in the UK back in the 90s. Back around 1995/96 it was becoming clear that the BNP was moving away from street confrontations and trying to 'mainstream' itself along the lines of the FN in France, the Austrian Freedom Party, Belgian Vlaams Blok, etc..
Within that context, the strategy of AFA trying to physically beat them off the streets was becoming less and less effective. The BNP were avoiding confrontation and moving away from violence themselves, so when we got into violent confrontations with the BNP, it was easy for us to come off as the 'violent extremists' and we were actually making it easier for them to present themselves as a 'reasonable' and mainstream political force in contrast.
I'm really kind of skeptical as to whether tactics which worked in the 70s/80s/90s, like attacking BNP meetings, marches, etc. are likely to be very effective in countering the BNP today. In today's context, where the BNP gets 100s of thousands of votes, and as I understand it is still staying away from traditional fascist violent 'street politics', I think an effective anti-fascist strategy really has to focus on building alternative movements on the left that counter the BNP politically, rather than reactive movements that focus primarily on 'anti-fascism.'
Many people involved in AFA in England are now part of the Independant Working Class Association, which attempts to build an alternative working class political movement at the local level: http://www.iwca.info/
In Scotland, some ex-AFA people also do political work as the IWCA, and some others support the Scottish Socialist Party: http://www.scottishsocialistparty.org/
Anyhow, the main point I want to make is that it is important to adjust your 'anti-fascist' tactics to the particular situation you're in. Yes, physical confrontation can work as an anti-fascist strategy, but it's not always the most effective response and can sometime be counterproductive or even a distraction politically. Anti-fascism should be about creating the politcal space to build viable left alternative movements, and not just an end in itself. Otherwise, it just becomes a sort of militant liberalism, even if you're using 'radical' tactics.
Some good points, but I think it's important to remember that even without organisations such as the BNP in existence, fascism would still play a huge role in Britain, especially in many of England's northern towns and cities (one of which I live in) where hatred and racial tension have culminated in violent street wars.
(In fact, for those in the UK, there is a drama on about the Bradford riots this week, I think it might be Thursday)
Anyway, my point is, we must not spend an excess amount of time targeting the BNP and similar worldwide organisations as so much of the racism we see is on the streets, and not confined to offices and town halls.
Also, it's incredibly important that using leaflets, media coverage and any other means, we give people the knowledge about the organisations they're voting for that they don't know. It's somewhat ironic that in Britain's northern towns, inhabited mostly by the working class, the people vote for an organisation that will oppress them.
I think anti-fascist strategies need to work on a 'street' level and also a political level, as concentrating solely on one will not be effective. This involves targeting BNP rallies and such things, as well as using leftist propaganda and political debate to try and lower the number of votes that the BNP recieve.
“People think they have taken quite an extraordinarily bold step forward when they have rid themselves of belief in hereditary monarchy and swear by the democratic republic. In reality, however, the state is nothing but a machine for the oppression of one class by another, and indeed in the democratic republic no less than in the monarchy.”
- Friedrich Engels
I think people need to be educated about what the BNP are really like - if they knew what kinds of things were said at meetings then MOST BNP voters would definitely not do it.
Also, a reasonable alternative needs to be offered - all too often when the general public thinks of Communism they immediately link it to the murderous regime of Stalin. This is wrong. Communism is not Stalinism and people need to see this.
If we can manage to reveal both of these things to people, the BNP, and other right-wing parties, will be nothing.
This isn't really true, you have to remember that fascism in both Germany and Italy took power at a time when the workers movements in both countries were very strong, through a mainly middle class support base. You also have to remember that the BNP is probably to the left of most Daily Mail readers, so no matter how many people you convince that the BNP are 'bad' there will always be a middle class support base for them. What we have to do is convince white working class people who feel they have been abandoned by Labour that the real cause of their problems stems from the social relationships inherent in capital that they participate in everyday, not from BNP flagship issues like immigration.
Theres always going to be people who are going to vote for parties like the BNP, no matter how much you convince them that its wrong. What we have to do is make our ideas obvious to working class people who are thinking of voting BNP merely as a protest, and win them over. These are the first steps to building a workers movement strong enough to counter fascism if and when the bourgeoisie need to it to rear its ugly head to defend themselves.
No they dont-
A)Not all people who vote for them are fascists. The BNP are exploiting the frustrations of working class people within the most deprived areas of the country. Most of the people there are either very elderly and /or too badly educated to know any better. Because there has been a failure of the British left to organise in the towns where the BNP have been successful in , the people there are provided with no other explanations for the state the country is in. Us saying these people should be murdered because they were naive enough to vote BNP is no way to win them over to socialism.
B) Why are you taking joy in islamic violence? Not only is political islamism a threat to socialism in that it divides the proletariat, it provides groups such as the BNP with the rationale in the first place to go around promoting islamophobia.
I know youre probably not aware of the situation in the UK but, as a commited UK anti-fascist, I found your statement highly ignorant.
Yes but in Britain I don't think people realize what they're getting into exactly and we also have the example of Germany and Italy to learn from.
not all their policies are actually far right ones - some of the economic ones are quite left - but this adds more to the problem. Look at the Nazi party's economic policies (national socialism) = similar.
Yes, we have to show them what the problems are, but I also think we have to expose the BNP for what they are. Lots of people just think "ok they're a little extreme, but they ain't too bad", these people need to be shown the truth.
Did anyone see that news report about the leader of the BNP getting of very lightly for being accused of racist comments on asians and afro caribean people i say he payed the fucking judge off the stupid cappi bastered :angry:
"all wars are civil wars because all men are brothers" Francois Fenelon
