Did the 'Loony' kill the Left?

[mk12]

You talk about ideology. Are there people in the IWCA with different ideological stances then?

 

[catch]

Matt:

I'd agree with Divisive Cottonwood when he says this:

Well, I'm sure they can answer for themselves, but it seems to me that only partial victories are possible in the foreseeable future. The debate isn't ideological anymore, it's mainly issue-based. It's about making an impact on the areas that you can - and trying to keep some consistency in the campaigning, not jumping from one issue to the next.

I also can't speak for the IWCA. But unless something major happens which catches us all by suprise (which it would), then in terms of practical activity I'm interested in working on stuff that has material impact wherever possible. Doesn't mean everything has to be a success, but stuff people can actually have some influence on themselves as individuals working together. Although ideology obviously affects how issues are tackled, I'm mainly interested in working with the people around me and building organisation and militancy from whatever level it starts from. It's not necessary to have consistent political agreement with people to do that. Surveys also feed into this, since they start from where people are at rather than imposing things a priori on situations.

Ideally, people would be opposing city academies or attacks on working conditions or whatever in massive numbers anyway, but that's not happening everywhere by any means, so for me it's most important to act defensively now - whether at work or where I live. Obviously I think history and political theory is very important as well, otherwise I wouldn't be involved in libcom. In terms of my own political development they link up well but practically not so much, or not yet anyway.

 

[mk12]

So the IWCA deals with issues that directly affect the locality, for example, in the places where they have councillors?

What types of surveys?

 

[catch]

About to go out, and this isn't IWCA, but do a search for surveys on this site to get an idea

In terms of surveys in general, Kolinko's questionairestuff is interesting as well: http://www.prol-position.net/en/e_fragbo.htm - and I think an example of reaching similar conclusions in terms of activity (although there's is just work based) through different ideological backgrounds.

 

[TremulousTetra]

I think it would be more accurate to say we have short term goals (which we identify as specific things we can have a positive impact on e.g. tackling anti-social behaviour or opposing a proposed city academy), which are seen as necessary for the achievement of our longer term general goals (which we have identified as initially working class rule in working class areas, which is itself part of the process of achieving our ultimate goal of total social change).

In terms of the IWCA being ideologically free. I would agree with Joe Reilly that we are not an ideological outfit in the way that the various Leninists (and some anarchists?) are, and the way they demand that we should be; that is forever checking and defining ourselves against some or other genuinely Leninist (but also always contested) ideological checklist. However, I part company from him when he appears to claim that we escape ideology altogether; it is after all an ideological position to seek to place the working class, with its many and sometimes diverse needs, desires and abilities, centre stage; I presume this - the apparent attempt to see the IWCA as completely ideology free - is what irks Belboid.

Cheers - Louis Mac

as someone who is not very active, it is very difficult for me to lecture members of respect as to what they should and should not be doing. I know in my area they have been working very hard. However, I've always felt, and said, that the IWCA has some good working practices which respect would do well to take on board.it's not so much they don't agree with taking them on board, but it is in my opinion mainly because they fall off the agenda under pressure of over deployment of too few resources. So I do have respect for what the IWCA is doing, but I also have a question about something you are doing I feel uncomfortable with if I were asked to do this myself.

perhaps it is my latent 'need' to adhere to an "ideological checklist", but I can't help feeling awkward about the work around "antisocial behaviour", but perhaps you can placate this. What does this mean in practical terms? What would you do to reduce antisocial behaviour? And what would you advocate to punish it, if indeed you do advocate punishment? You can refer me to a link if you cannot be bothered explaining to me.

Frats Rmp3

 

[Divisive Cotton]

perhaps it is my latent 'need' to adhere to an "ideological checklist", but I can't help feeling awkward about the work around "antisocial behaviour", but perhaps you can placate this. What does this mean in practical terms? What would you do to reduce antisocial behaviour? And what would you advocate to punish it, if indeed you do advocate punishment? You can refer me to a link if you cannot be bothered explaining to me.Frats Rmp3

Without doubt when I first got involved with the IWCA the running on anti-social behaviour, and even the term 'anti-social behaviour', was primarily, if not exclusivly, the domain of Republican's in West Belfast, and in particular, their restorative justice schemes were quite inspiring.

What happened during the Thatcher years was a complete withdrawal from working class communities - in terms of employment, welfare and policing.

Possibly the only book that I know that covers this from a left-wing perspective is Bea Campbell's, Goliath: Britain's Dangerous Places, published in 1993.

If you want to address people's needs, then that clearly was one that needed tackling. You can do so with wider correct calls for better youth provision, employment ect.

David Blunkett began using the term a few years ago, together with state action in the form of curfews and ASBO's. Then the whole chav thing erupted. There's an article re-assessing the whole anti-social behaviour issue on the IWCA national website.