ERIC WHAT HAS happened in France is course to The Times which naturally conclusive evidence breakdown of civilisation. For us old members of the fan-club, it proves that Paris still has star quality # s more than a place three-star Michelin * they captured aftar a day's fighting traffic jams, cleaned buildings and the kind of dress shops the Duchess of Windsor goesto, I can still put up the barricades, often on the SEE ALTE LILL 1871 and in 1944 It is a great moment for sentimental Francophiles. But even sentimental wonder whether the whole husiness is merely a gallic freak. Does it show the way to the rest of the world? It would not be the first time that Paris has done so. 1 think it may do so now;
The events unexpected dented. That is the first thing to grasp THE COCHI Practically all serious observers of politics have long taken it for granted that classical revolutions longer happen the western countries there is unlikely to be revolutionary discontent, or because such discontent is is students and blacks, isolated from tas to or toe poopie Exceptions mere conceivable, ber _present LET LEARNTAILE rather successful In is International affairs, with a stable goverument. solid finances, and prosperity, which means that the poor were at any rate not notably worse off usuaily expect to be A revolution has never broken out THISCI such Paris it did. happened which might quite well have turned into a revolution.
More precisely, two things which are remarkable enough.
the students rebelied and forced the LOVE LUCUL TELECEL workers followed their cample.
Student rebellion is fairly common these days. sicuation lies in a), mass mobilisation of the students (not to mention their teachers and parents) and bi, the extent of public support for them, which eventually forced the unions and the Communist Party, reluctantly, to line up behind them.
in this situation there was not much the government could have done restaurants, very same went up in 1848, in movement.
the most them muLst details tradition, are totally unpreceone themselves. will no advanced either because massive likely to be society such prizes seemed to have much holidays seemed at peace. didn't are than they зосі they ar circumstances Yet in Or anyway something (and women They Though 1D become a SCIE the about it, The novelty of the Paris extent of the short of starting to shoor; and it is an increasingly well-recognised fact of politics that massacring students is much trickier than massacring blacks WEETLE WAHE WORKERS REVERESS nobody expected that the workers would imitate the scudents But they did, once again in spite of the feet-dragging of their unions and party. It was the young workers who ждал сле оссиралов of factories which has since snow-balled into g general strike. And though the unions have taken it over, it was and still is essentiaily a spontaneous, grass-roots Could it have happened anywhere else except in France? In its specitic no. No other country bas revolution as part of its national circuistances it comes as natural to put up a barricade as to raise the red flag. The French workers may be no more revolutionary in their practica demands than the ancestors for live generations back have made revolutions, and they have Hence it is possible for the students by example, to put the working class traditions back into the working class? as someone has said On the other hand, leaving details aside, the students rebelling against a which offers them all its their HP debts to establish, by their action, that life is nore than overtime carnings and in Palma these are no French but potentially international We knew + though the politicians that people are ented. They feel tbat cheir lives amingless in the consumer Somfortable (which many of them are bot lu are abo mon powerless than before, more pushes around by giant organisations foo whom they are items and not men Beds). know that the mechanisms for representing them elections, parties, etc - - have tended set of ceremonial ristisutions going through ticuals, They do not like it but unt recently they did not know what to do a00 1039 have wondered whether there was anything that they could do about it.
What France proves is that when somcone demonstrates that are not powerless, they may begin to act again. Perhaps even more thar this: that only the sense of impotence is holding many of us back from acting like men (and women - eds) ind not zombies An attempt by the leadership of the Franch CP to divide and isolate its critics has blown up in its face.
of dissent inside the party after he central committe THIST MOMEN decided to fire 'left"
Althusser and his supporters.
TWO DOITICE DUTERU MO Paul Laurent, openly attacked Я ПИЗЕ ИЛИА ARY ORIY L'Humanite. Chambaz went so far as to state that the attack on busy bodes composig mond logues at their desks made by secretary MATERIC SET CENTECON mittee moeting was aimed at Ahhusser and no-one aise opening to the "liberal' critics For the first time one of their certain Jean, was given forum" in May. At the same time the historian Jean anotherleaderof thiewing. was vut thei LIVE AURORA NECTAYD rich would late he t critica But this manoeuvre had the opposite effect. Eileinstein lef that there was nothing for it but to seek to ally all the critics cratic discussion in the party Last weekend the bon arrived.
Althusser and Elleinsteir bourgeois working class and cemand пол greater and party This is not the only sign that the opposition inside the party Is beginning to organise. Als published in Le week was another specifically leadership's twists and turns official during the election campaign and demanding a really demo cratic preparation of the next party congress Below we reprint the text of empty statement BRUSSEL more than 300 other CP mem Ishing further texte from this debate along with analysis of The undersigned Communists, belonging lo all socio-profassional categories, cannot hide Sir Salomaniantal a Go air number of formulas and asser lions contained in the report by Georges Marchals.
We will proceed, simalllension The Be meeting In the Cr leader concentrate their Louls Jacques Chambez and Georges necessity reduced intellectuals.
TOYNPOR L'Humanile on Elleinstein, to understandin which now including both Le freedom of criticism the сансатино Monde last text by 100 billty of the denouncing the signed by CHENS HIN In future Issues of Social lion like the base but a number STUDIOS Party workers, because of a our cause.
Of course we have varyin The opening pointed thought the 23rd to the dictatorship of the prolerepresents an extreme lact that comrades local or factory cells, sections demanding a discussion forum i an axceptional period, and that they gously want lo de bate ways of urgently perfecting democratic contrailam, is #kened to an allempt to cig mantle the party in the name of petty-bourgeols The fact inal bey mand Be bold as to criticise the role of the full-time party officials which isnt lo queston troll and the danger that these full-timers could bi real life, from the masses, is to an intellectuals. This workerist reaction shows a great tomol for the working class Il's ridiculous — particularly as a large number of workers share these concerns.
Beyond references to the alliance of Intel: lectuals and the working class.
seem thase assertions are evidenge of a real regression in relation to the gains made by our party sphore, under the influ ance of Maurice Thoraz in the teull central committee meet ing tweive years now a regression at ete They the role and activity of Com muntat Intallactuals and no as to their very place in thi and, beyond that, l terms of the alliance batween Intellectuals and the working class. How can one not undor line the contradiction between such language and the polic of alllances thai we envisage?
Contrary this fantastic what is Involved is in no way a challenge to the achievemenis of the 22nd Con gress, to which we are deeply estimate the political responsiSocialist Party in the daleat of March 1978. Wa with our complacency emine. concerned to THOU MAN CINEMENS IN able to maintain this unily on the objectives lor changs WITH H powerful popular current. The examination lastles on co lonsive altitude, lo a lack ol confidence In the masses and of our party, whom they persist in not treat ing as adullis.
We conlinue to think, ang will continue to say, that only such political courage Many quesis capable of reanimating political ille, of establish: ing the conditions for ine polltical creativity of our party, and of finally allowing the renewal of the Union of the Left througt patient and fratemal work al Faced with a bourgeoisie which is mercilessly applying a liberaliam which will weigh very heavily on the wages anc conditions of manual and intel actual workers, the roquisite need a Communis wich Is powerul se It Is wide open to the needs and aspirations of thi capa or tonias to them and aiso to its sup porters, whether they be work to set the one *the other does not render any Alice to delay of our party In rightly by Georges Marchais on several occasions cannot continue withou . It Is very urgent the Congress takes epheres, and the way in whit it is prepared will, from thi SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 25 May 1978 page 9
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ERIC HOBSBAWM 1968 'Nobody expected that the workers would imitate the feet-dragging of their unions and party... HOBSBAWM, Marxist bistorian member of the Communist Party, writing in the first issue of Black Dwarf, 1 June 1968:
*The old grey mares of Stalinism are currently apologising for their and a