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<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">Some Thoughts On
Trotskyism </h3>
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<br>
Leaving the Labour Party in February was a tough decision, but I
haven't regretted it. I don't miss the endless infighting typical
of 'resolutionary' socialism, which often deflects energy from the
actual struggle into internal disputes around the wording of
policies which will, in any case, end up being ignored by the
leadership and the PLP. Moreover Starmer's accession and the
leadership team he has built around himself has confirmed, at
least for me, that Labour is simply slipping back into its old
social chauvinist, pro-market role as a 'bourgeois workers'
party'. Which of course begs the question: if not Labour, then how
and where do socialists organise themselves?<br>
<br>
As someone whose background is in Trotskyist organisations - and
whose politics are still hugely influenced by Marx, Lenin and
Trotsky - you might think that the obvious solution for me
personally would be a return to one or other of the Trotskyist
groups. But long experience of that milieu has left me with few
illusions as to its shortcomings, whatever the good work done by
the comrades who adhere to one or other flavour of British
Trotskyism, and whatever the virtues of their general politics.<br>
<br>
My personal experience in that movement more or less chimes with
the critique developed by John Kelly in his recent study <i>Contemporary
Trotskyism </i>(Routledge 2018). Although I would take issue
with some of his conclusions and elisions (for example I think he
underestimates the influence of Trotskyism outside of Europe, e.g.
in Latin America), his comments about the shortcomings of the
British groups seem to me to be wholly accurate. I think it's
worth quoting this at length, in the hope that it will prove
useful to other activists who, like me, are trying to find a way
through the current organisational impasse. I would of course urge
readers to go out and buy the book, which is well worth reading in
full. It can be purchased <a
href="https://www.routledge.com/Contemporary-Trotskyism-Parties-Sects-and-Social-Movements-in-Britain/Kelly/p/book/9781138943810"
target="_blank">here</a>, or - given that the cost will be
prohibitive for many people - ordered via a library once the
lockdown is over.<br>
<br>
Below is Kelly's analysis of the 'Leadership and Doctrine' of the
main Trotskyist groups (pp 93 - 95). His description of the old
white male domination of the leaderships, and of the structural
factors that have led to each group being run by an 'oligarchy',
seem to me to be accurate. The only caveat I'd add is that I
believe some of the smaller groups, e.g. rs21 and Socialist
Resistance in England, are at least trying to address the kind of
problem that Kelly outlines here:</div>
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