have been supplemented by an understanding of the European and colonial class struggle, but for a British Trotskyist leader to have seriously absorbed the experience and lessons of even obe other country in the world was, in the 1940', a decisive step forward. (17). In particular it was an incalculable advance on the insularity, chauvinism and philistinism of the leading circles of the RCP.
Absorption By the late 1940's, therefore, the Healy current was clearly demarcared within British Trotskyisar on two decisive criteria - its advocacy of a break with sectarianism and entry into the Labour Party and ir absorption of the lessons of, and close ties with, the Fourth laternationaL. A new force had developed.
The firse clear demonstration of the superiority of BBC → this sactic (the pre-war entry one) had a rather ephemeral character, of short duration, and with Limited objectives. What was Involved was to enter these partics (the mass reformist parties), to profit froat their temporary left turn, to recruit members or to court certain thin leftist currents which were developing there, and to get out. The entire conception of carrying out the entry and the work inside bese parties was dominared by this perspecThe type of entry which flowed from this approach was the refusal to engage in joint collaboration Bod publications HUL CONSE social democratic and centrist forces, a propagandist commentary on outrist developments and a warinoss of alliances. In che case or Bricain this had been compounded hy the natural sectarianism of the Trotskyis: groups involved. All the experiences on elleyis previously were of that Type. gigantic in relation to the Troskyist forses. Furthe more, far from being thin and shortlived, general development of the left in the Labour Par showed every sign of heing prolonged and wide. Wi the temporary exception of 1956-58, it was not un the inid-1960's that the left of the labour Party ocas to be the pobitical focus of the working class and ti chief source of recruits for che Trotskyist movemer En chese circumsrances what was realited was not all be type of entry pursued before the war, but a re penetration into these left social democratic ar centrist curreuts with the aim of becoming a re organising centre for them. Without this the Trotsk ist Forces would remain simply inellectual commen ators and in practice leave the workers in the baods i the reformises. As the resolotion of the Tenth Plenu of the International Executive Committee of 1 Fourth International in 1912 puri:
•We are bot entering these parties in order to com out of them soon. We are entering them in order remain there for a long time banking on the gre possibility which exists of seeing these parties, place under new ponditions, develop centrist tendenci which will lead a whole stage of radicalisarion of th masses and of the objective revolurionary proceases their respective countries. We wish in reality fro the inside of these tendencies to amplify and accelera their left cendrist ripening and to conest even with ti centrist leaders for the entire leadership of the tendencies. (21) *My emphasis - AJ. Liquidation While this orientation was undoubtedly based quite wrong short term economic and politi perspectives, in particular the War Revolution Th is, and was later to be developed by some of Pabl followers into outright liguidation of the Trotsky forces, nevertheless, this general orientation gave correct answer to the necessary tactics towards 1 British Inbour Party or thar time, Its conclusions y supported by the SWP and by Healy as well as by 1 Euroncan Trotskvist leadership. Most of all it gave