given to the "tall of the frane". The franc has fallen by three to four per cent against the other main currencies ot the capialist world, notably the dollar.
Allhough there are certain purely oconomsic reasous for IOISHOVEUHTMEIE reason is political, and linked to the mosshiiy ot g victo-y bi the left in the March-elections. This is so much the case that the Government has leapt at the opportunity to nedic financial chaos if the lett wins.
Indeed, unkind spirits have suggested that Prime Minister Barre and his friends didin't do all chat they might have to hall the slide and even encouraged it slightly for the sake of gaining political points:
working alovement it was a mild but very ITIne cconoitte sabolage of which international capital is capable o if political devcloptients Prance look bike uetora onr o! hand. And: cleat demonstration of the need for contrel over ail miovemients of capital - exercised nor just by a Len Coveramen: bur by the direct action of the workers Tr international and French capital was gelling alarmaed at the possibility Coveromeat, Hie leadership 01 the Socialat and Conununist Parries (PS and PCFi were Bot doing much to bring suel a prospeti nearer, Dospite taitering bur definite moves towards DaNie ducks and drikex wilh the anti-capitalist sentiments and the desire for unity of the working-class.
weck the PCF had abandoned the worst of ultra-sectarian line, dropped its main 'condition" that it must get at Jeast 21 per cent of the vote anc was reaos lo lake par.m a Governmen: witls the PS. What proposcd agrocment berween the first and socond rounds of the clections on a governmental proeraname IU ELU DOISOTrSAHU PCF candidares standing down Jot cach other in the second round, according to who won best votes in the first round.
YES class The PS's reply was: yes, ler: Stand down for ench orber but ACl leave agreement on the goveriunental programme till after che scoond round. This is unaccepruble to the PCF which wants n definite agreement and the assurancr of ministerial places which goes with it before tetana TunE This wowd CEUTNU •Party Goverment' and bleck oit any Centre-Leit leader Mitterrand Left BHREYAEHEULIL have heen encouragod by a speech Prime Minister Barie made abour the posibility of some knd goverament.
The oddi are still an an agrocunity ovet the last couple of men between the PCF and PS ance igiin form Mitterrand wants 1o drive the bardest possible bargain. has produced some rumblings witlun his own party not only Trom the social-democratic current) but also from influential figures like Pierre Mauros, Mayor of LIIC As to the outcome af the elections, the latest opinion was polls show a slieht (one cen reresion of the Leti. Bar DIZC dARMOTC COIEHBLIS un all sides of the politica.
that the elections will not necessarily decide much.
If the 'majori' wins ir wol do so as a atinerity in the country, owine its victury to an electoral system biased in it lavour and 1o the criminal divisions al the reformist left.
If Mitcirand is sempred bi the prospect of some Centre-Left: with its solid bold over organised working class will be leit in potentially daagerou oppesicion. assure their forms & govermnent with their rag bac of bourgenis allies the Socialist workutg class wil. rapidly start might be to place decands on them.
Aus way you look at it, shor. of a crusting deleat WOTS05 PaTLIC extremely uniscly Centre-Lefr elections, will be mobiliine fo is Lemanas and looking tor a may oul of the capitalist crisis.
bat CERES (left bulcome of the kind coalition the PCF the If the PS ard PCF Sw hich s wook A MEETING of striking postal workers in Paris. Their sfruggle ha.i IOD OUTDO WOWOROWSAMIOM BI IO UMLU R OUL DOsCOanE
"Eurocommunists' Towards the end of last year an important debate on socialist strategy took place at the Free University of Brussels in Belgium. The three speakers were Jean Ellenstein, a historian and theoretician of the French Communist Party, Ernest Mandel, a central leader of the Fourth International and Didier Motchane, leader of the left socialists inside the French Socialist Party. We print below Mandel's opening remarks and Ellenstein's response. Next week we will publish a have moved to the This leads questions. First. a nothing revahilionary in 1919, Italy in 1920, right. France, and between 1973 and us to two other lundaciental are revolutionary crises something entitely exceptional, characteristic of backward and underdeveloped contries. or are revolutionary crises a periodic result of the structural crisis of capitalism and is such entirely relevant to the countries of western LOTT Europe? Secondly, what is to be Soue when one is faced by just such a resciationary shoula My answer to the first question li that there specifically Russian aboul crises. crises in Russia in 1917 Germany in 1918-9, Hungary in 1919, Austria again in Germany in 1923, in France in 1936, Spain in 1936 and 1937, in Taly between 1944 and 1548, Greece between 1944 and 1946, in Mas 1968 in led 1o 1975 IM SOCIALIST CHALLENGE, 16 February 1978 page 13 or not democrado forme are nocessary ta estall the dictatorship of the proscianat or workers power. Everybody at rhis table 15 agreed on a certain number of principles. We are against the one marty system; for politica) pluralisa; for the right of everyone to be able parties, political tendencies, aguiest the iden that bade unions be transmission heles Tor a political party: for crade union independence not only Today, but also under the dictatorship of the praletariat and we are for the maintenance of all democracic rights incleding the right to That is not what the differences hinge on Our differences are strategic; between two autually exclusive strategies. There is the stralegy, in my opinion the correct one, whiel the viclery. which was supported by the majority of the urinan