By Mike Davies
In 2015, when Jeremy Corbyn became leader of the Labour Party, the Alliance for Green Socialism waited to see what kind of basic policies he would adopt and what the response of the Establishment would be. (I produced a spreadsheet of possibilities including a scenario where the Deep State plotted his death!) In the event, the Establishment fabricated – out of nothing – allegations of anti-semitism and forced this dedicated anti-racist out of frontline politics. Despite Keir Starmer’s very successful electoral tactics in the subsequent election, he attracted half a million fewer votes than Corbyn.
Since then, many on the left have looked to Corbyn for a lead in forming a new left party, but with little overt encouragement from the man himself. He has formed or supported a couple of political organisations but no party. Last September there was a report of a meeting to discuss a new party, but little since. More recently there have been further whisperings.
On 3rd July, the suspended Labour MP Zarah Sultana resigned from the Labour Party and announced that she and Corbyn were forming a new left party. Oddly there was at first no explicit confirmation from Corbyn or from other likely participants. Nonetheless he has now come out and declared that such a new party will be formed.
What should be the attitude of the AGS to such a development? Should the AGS dissolve itself into such a new left party? Should we affiliate to it but maintain our own identity and autonomy? Should we stand aside until the party’s policies and practice are clear? Should we oppose it?
There are a number of important questions. On core politics two stand out:
- Climate change and other environmental issues
- Democratic socialism or merely social democracy
Environment
While there can be tactical differences on particular environmental policies, the AGS has always stood four-square behind drastic action to cut global heating and protect the environment on which we all depend. Humanity must cease to ravage the earth to feed our ever-growing appetite for energy and stuff.
It is unclear whether, and certainly to what extent, Corbyn & co are committed to this. Corbyn’s emphasis has always appeared to be on red rather than green. His background is in trade unions, the Labour Party, and peace rather than environmental campaigning.
Socialism or social democracy?
Socialists want to replace capitalism with a more just system – a new economic paradigm based on partnership, fairness and need, rather than greed and exploitation. Social Democrats, on the other hand, accept capitalism but want a larger share of the profits to go to the workers.
The distinction is blurred by the fact that many campaigns by socialists are really on issues arguably more accurately described as social democratic. For example, Marx (hardly a woolly liberal!) fought for the 10-hour working day, a social democratic demand aimed at ameliorating capitalism rather than replacing it. The same applies to many of the campaigns the Alliance for Green Socialism has been involved in. Also, of course, many social democrats confusingly (or optimistically) describe themselves as socialists.
Yet the west, including the United States, Europe and Britain, is now at a stage where the long-standing dominance of social democracy of the right or the left is collapsing. People are no longer content with parties (nominally of left or right but all supporting capitalism) throwing them a few scraps and changing nothing fundamental. Why should an American vote Democrat rather than Republican? I certainly couldn’t tell you! Nor could I make a case for voting Labour in Britain.
Corbyn’s background (and that of most of the Labour left) is clearly social democrat. It is not clear whether a new ‘Corbyn Party’ would be Socialist or not – whether it would just be a re-named Labour Party that took slightly more seriously the aim of getting a bigger share of the profits for the workers.
Of course, in addressing these issues, the AGS must bear in mind its limitations. We have some good people and, in a couple of places, a strong record. However, we do not look likely to form a significant party on our own!
Comments and suggestions invited by letter to Green Socialist Editor, or to Mike Davies, AGS Chair, at freepost AGS (no stamp required).
Mike Davies is Chair of the AGS
GS112 Cover Photo by Mohammed Ibrahim/Unsplash
Alliance for Green Socialism 