The Debate on the left | IMGpapers 1976

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Democrats found out to their cost in the 'thirties.

nave, in 1974.

Q. Are there dangers in using the term 'fascism' lightly?

A. If you read the radical press, you can tind tigures as tar atield as Roy Jenkins (who introduced the Prev ention of Terrorism Act) to Enoch Powell being defined as fascist. The fact that such 'diverse figures car be labelled in this way is a sure Asian of the confusion of the term, as used.

Martin Webster of the NF There is a danger nere. ce in. ars can acitalli as o ne rea' dangers o a threat when it does arise. what happened in the thirties the. German CP labelled the Democrats as 'social fasists' and refused to unite with them in a serious struggle against Hitler's blacksnltls. A similar error is being made today in Portugal where left groups label the Socialist Party as 'social fascist' and refuse ite with SP militants in a struggle against the right. National Front fielded over 90 candidates in the last election. Despite the recent split, Fascism is once again a subiect of debate withın the radıcal most recently, has indulged in a policy of breaking up metings organised by the left.

The debate at present taking place in radical circles is not so much about whether the fascists have to be stopped by force. Every socialist realises that genteel Parlamentary Front pose today and what are the most effective means of dealing with them. This is by no means an 'academic' debate since, over 'the past years, Attempting to draw some of the lessons from this experience is of concrete importance in allowing the left to come to grips with the NF in the future.

A. ot socialism. begin to turn careless DOD I e ism at that time, Social . workers' Moreover, many strata have,

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manoeuvres are quite inadequate to halt a rising fascist movement, as the German Social- What is really under discussion is exactly what threat do groups such as the National

under the slogan 'No Platform for Fascists', called for active disruption of NF meetings and demonstrations which led to the death of Kevin Gately at Red Lion Square