Thatcher's War
Socialist Organiser1982 1982-06-03Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 12 →
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SOCIALIST Organiser fights to act as a real campaigning paper which can organise workers in the struggle for new leadership.
To do so we need consistent support and money. Socialist Organiser Alliance groups Why not join with us? Supporters are asked to. undertake to sell a minimum of 6 papers per week and contribute at least £1.50 er ones - would be to commit ourselves to an international version of the Communist Party's "anti-monopoly alliance" • Socialists should side with bourgeois forces against imperialism when they fight for national liberation. We side with them because of what they are fighting for, despite what they are - and we point out that because of what they are, they will not fight consistently, and the working class should organise independently to take the lead.
The current arguments over Argentina turn this reasoning on its head. They hold that we should side with Galtieri because of what he is (representative of an non-imperialist capitalist class) despite or regardiess of what he is fighting for.
Or worse - they hold that because of what Galtieri is, his war against Britain must be progressive, therefore, since he is fighting Thatcher for control over the Falklands, Argentine seizure of the Falklands is in some way progressive.
Not progressive But Galtieri has no more to do with national liberation than Pinochet. Annexation of a small distinct neighbouring community by the predatory and militaristic regime in its relatively big and powerful neighbour is not progressive even if Britain opposes it.
Certainly socialists in Britain must put our main stress on fighting Thatcher's reactionary war. But Galtieri's war is reactionary too.
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... and Galtieri's organiseres