50 Years Ago: Problems of the Labour Movement (1975)

The 50 Years Ago column from the August 1975 issue of the Socialist Standard

Unity, Unity, Unity is the keynote of Mr. Braun’s attempt at outlining a policy for working-class action But one is compelled to exclaim Words, Words, Words.

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All the talk in the world about ‘Unity’ is so much claptrap, unless it is clearly stated what the workers are to unite for.

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Despite his adverse criticism of the Labour Party he tells us that ‘the trade unions must organise an influence on the policy of that party’ and among other things they are ‘to try to cleanse the Labour Party of lords, bankers and merchants’. What a revolutionary proposal!

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As though the average trade unionist in his present state of political and economic ignorance of his class position could make any fundamental difference on the policy of the Labour Party. Whilst, as far as the lords, bankers and merchants are concerned, cleanse the Labour Party of these people and that organisation remains what it has always been, a hindrance to working-class emancipation.

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Let Mr. Braun and all those who talk so glibly about ‘Unity’ take note that, as the fundamental problem confronting the workers is how to get rid of their exploitation and poverty, the basis for the organisation of the workers, must be the ending of capitalism and the establishment of Socialism. But this means Socialist education, something more than opposition to the trickery of MacDonald, Thomas & Co.

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(From a review by R. Reynolds of a booklet “Problems of the Labour Movement” in the Socialist Standard, August 1925. The booklet was published by the Communist journal “The Labour Monthly” and written by P. Braun.)