Revolutionary Communist Group

[scawenb]

They took a leading role in the Non-Stop Picket of the South African Embassy when the City of London Anti-Apartheid Group was expelled from AAM. They were very invoved in Irish work expecially around the 1979 election when the hounded Callaghan over the H-Block men and Bobby Sands. They were heavily invoved in anti-deportation campaigns especially in Manchester and Viraj Mendis was one of their members when he was threaten with deportation and sought sanctuary in a church which also had a constant 24hr vigil and a weekly picket uniting church-people with anarchists and other non-alligned. They were involved in the defence campaigns following the Black uprisings of the early 1980s. They also organised the demonstrations outside Strangeways from the evening the prisoners took it over and through to the support campaign afterwards. More recently they have a Boycott Marks & Spencer campaign in Oxford Road, in Manchester and in Newcastle and Rock Around the Blockade in support of socialist Cuba.

They were Trots who came out of the IS at the same time as Workers Power in 1974, they expelled the RCP over Irish solidarity and are unusual outside the CP in giving support to the Socialist Countries as undeformed socialism. They do take a view that a section of the working class in bought off by the crumbs of imperialist exploitation - eg. workers in arms manufacture or prison officers nad hence see the Labour Party as eternally supporters of British imperialism who need to be rejected by the rest of the working class. The do see black and asian people, those around the poverty line, prisoners and their families and all those who already see the brutality of capitalism or feel solidarity by those oppressed by Britain abroad as key to revolution in Britain.

 

[belboid]

This threads about the RCG, most here will have never heard of them. My post is to bring some balance to what I've read so far. If you want to discuss the BNP, or play dumb word games post a new thread. I ain't interested.

well, hanks for that. Very useful.

 

[dennisr]

Side issue: hey DC your box is full mate (but yep no probs - will send over next couple of days)

OK....

... as you were

 

[DotCommunist]

Side issue: hey DC your box is full mate (but yep no probs - will send over next couple of days)

OK....

... as you were

sorted....

 

[The39thStep]

They took a leading role in the Non-Stop Picket of the South African Embassy when the City of London Anti-Apartheid Group was expelled from AAM. They were very invoved in Irish work expecially around the 1979 election when the hounded Callaghan over the H-Block men and Bobby Sands. They were heavily invoved in anti-deportation campaigns especially in Manchester and Viraj Mendis was one of their members when he was threaten with deportation and sought sanctuary in a church which also had a constant 24hr vigil and a weekly picket uniting church-people with anarchists and other non-alligned. They were involved in the defence campaigns following the Black uprisings of the early 1980s. They also organised the demonstrations outside Strangeways from the evening the prisoners took it over and through to the support campaign afterwards. More recently they have a Boycott Marks & Spencer campaign in Oxford Road, in Manchester and in Newcastle and Rock Around the Blockade in support of socialist Cuba.

They were Trots who came out of the IS at the same time as Workers Power in 1974, they expelled the RCP over Irish solidarity and are unusual outside the CP in giving support to the Socialist Countries as undeformed socialism. They do take a view that a section of the working class in bought off by the crumbs of imperialist exploitation - eg. workers in arms manufacture or prison officers nad hence see the Labour Party as eternally supporters of British imperialism who need to be rejected by the rest of the working class. The do see black and asian people, those around the poverty line, prisoners and their families and all those who already see the brutality of capitalism or feel solidarity by those oppressed by Britain abroad as key to revolution in Britain.

Hence their irrelevance. They did get their leaflets torn up and a woman member punched by the Aryan Defence Force though ie Wigan Mike and Jock Oldham and Rising Sun (off VNN) in Manchester City Centre last year.

 

[audiotech]

well, hanks for that. Very useful.

for what ffs?

 

[Fullyplumped]

I remember the RCG in the early eighties. They supported General Jaruzelski in his vicious repression of the democrats. By the sounds of it they still would if the opportunity arose again.

 

[durruti02]

the western proletariats job, comrade, is to ceaselessly oppose racism in this country, and not to support workers in struggles, as that would only succeed in reinforcing the labour aristocracy, an aristocracy who themselves shore up capital

.. yes they define themselves apart from the rest of ther UK Left by arguing the entire UK w/c is complicit with the bosses etc etc etc blah blah blah and chnage wil only come from migrants prisoners the unemployed etc etc

i really think they are the pants politically and find it VERY odd many @s put up with them :O :O :O:

 

[durruti02]

If you want the longhand then, the RCG have had a consistent, principled stand on the issue, backed up by constant, practical activity.

no they are opportunists and parasites .. i hate this oh they do so much! WHY are they doing what they do?? as Belboid says they BNP do lots .. they are still parasites, as are RCGFRFI

 

[scawenb]

.. yes they define themselves apart from the rest of ther UK Left by arguing the entire UK w/c is complicit with the bosses etc etc etc blah blah blah and chnage wil only come from migrants prisoners the unemployed etc etc

i really think they are the pants politically and find it VERY odd many @s put up with them :O :O :O:

Sorry! Are you really saying "migrants prisoners the unemployed etc etc" not part of the working class? Are the majority of the worlds population living in poverty due to imperialist exploitation not part of the working class?

They share a lot in common practically with Anarchists on the role of the Labour Party, TUs, Parliamentarianism, police, prisons, unemployed, racism, etc., violence and that is why they put up with them.

 

[The39thStep]

Sorry! Are you really saying "migrants prisoners the unemployed etc etc" not part of the working class? Are the majority of the worlds population living in poverty due to imperialist exploitation not part of the working class?

They share a lot in common practically with Anarchists on the role of the Labour Party, TUs, Parliamentarianism, police, prisons, unemployed, racism, etc., violence and that is why they put up with them.

perhaps they can join this new green red and black alliance then?

 

[audiotech]

no they are opportunists and parasites .. i hate this oh they do so much! WHY are they doing what they do?? as Belboid says they BNP do lots .. they are still parasites, as are RCGFRFI

That's funny, especially coming from someone whose routinely questioning what other posters activity is.

 

[JimPage]

When i was down in Newcastle the other month saw a crowd of them selling papers at the Monument. Surprised they were still going

 

[rover07]

perhaps they can join this new green red and black alliance then?

Of course ...its open to everyone.

 

[belboid]

I know a couple of the Newcastle lot. mad as a sack of ferrets...

 

[The39thStep]

I know a couple of the Newcastle lot. mad as a sack of ferrets...

Now being picketed by the NF everytime they have a No Borders/ Pro asylum seekers march or demo.

 

[rover07]

The RCG are very good organising against racism and their work with refugees and asylum seekers.

And they have the best looking women

 

[durruti02]

Sorry! Are you really saying "migrants prisoners the unemployed etc etc" not part of the working class? Are the majority of the worlds population living in poverty due to imperialist exploitation not part of the working class?

They share a lot in common practically with Anarchists on the role of the Labour Party, TUs, Parliamentarianism, police, prisons, unemployed, racism, etc., violence and that is why they put up with them.

of course most "migrants prisoners the unemployed" are w/c .. BUT the rcgfrfi say that working unionised w/c are scum essentially

rcgfrfi share nothing in common with class struggle @s .. they are the worst sort of lefty parasite ..

 

[Nigel Irritable]

i really think they are the pants politically and find it VERY odd many @s put up with them :O :O :O:

It's not that surprising, really. Their formal politics may be quite different but quite a lot of anarchists share their moralism and their disgust for the actually existing working class.

My most recent experience of them came when I chaired a meeting about Palestine in the LSE some years ago. The only people who came were the two other Socialist Students members who generally came and an outside speaker, along with the student leader of the RCG and an Austrian Ultra-Orthodox Zionist. The RCG nutcase and the Austrian guy proceeded to scream hysterically at each other for the entire meeting. Fun times.

Politically the RCG are poison. Individually they can be quite affable.

 

[durruti02]

It's not that surprising, really. Their formal politics may be quite different but quite a lot of anarchists share their moralism and their disgust for the actually existing working class.

Politically the RCG are poison. Individually they can be quite affable.

yes and yes

 

[Rod Sleeves]

I just skirted a Palestine stall and paper sale they were doing in the centre of Newcastle, they've got a fair sized branch up here, and one or two of them are doing decent stuff around Defend Welfare Rights.

I would not trust them as far as I could throw them though, as much as they may be nice people on the surface.

 

[Totoro303]

And they have the best looking women

Having moved up to Newcastle since the new year I can vouch for this! :

Had long forgotten about the RCG, until I moved up here, and noticed them picketing outside M & S every Thursday evening?? I first came across their paper 'Fight Imperialism etc' around the mid 1980's, then once again in 2001 , when living in Nottingham. The format of their paper has hardly changed in that time - a typical paper will have one article on the Labour Aristocracy, one on Cuba and boycotting bacardi rum, another on prisoners rights, and maybe another on defending asylum seekers from deportation. Whilst I have only read about them/observed then from a safe distance (a wise policy I feel), I get the strong impression they are a very hard working group, who are very consistent in what they advocate, and have been operating for 30 years, which is a long time in the world of the far left. Whilst I am under no illusions about their eccentricity and zealousness, and have not the tiniest desire to defend their politics, I think the accusation of then being opportunist is unfair , as their core poliitics/activity has barely altered during the last few decades. If they were really opportunist would they have not jumped on some left bandwagon in the last few decades -i.e. Socialist Alliance, Respect, or entryism in the Labour Party in the 1980's?? To my knowledge they have done none of these things and stuck to their ideas, which in an increasingly unprincipled world I kind of have a strange respect for.

 

[The39thStep]

Having moved up to Newcastle since the new year I can vouch for this! :

Had long forgotten about the RCG, until I moved up here, and noticed them picketing outside M & S every Thursday evening?? I first came across their paper 'Fight Imperialism etc' around the mid 1980's, then once again in 2001 , when living in Nottingham. The format of their paper has hardly changed in that time - a typical paper will have one article on the Labour Aristocracy, one on Cuba and boycotting bacardi rum, another on prisoners rights, and maybe another on defending asylum seekers from deportation. Whilst I have only read about them/observed then from a safe distance (a wise policy I feel), I get the strong impression they are a very hard working group, who are very consistent in what they advocate, and have been operating for 30 years, which is a long time in the world of the far left. Whilst I am under no illusions about their eccentricity and zealousness, and have not the tiniest desire to defend their politics, I think the accusation of then being opportunist is unfair , as their core poliitics/activity has barely altered during the last few decades. If they were really opportunist would they have not jumped on some left bandwagon in the last few decades -i.e. Socialist Alliance, Respect, or entryism in the Labour Party in the 1980's?? To my knowledge they have done none of these things and stuck to their ideas, which in an increasingly unprincipled world I kind of have a strange respect for.

Would you miss them if they folded?

 

[scawenb]

of course most "migrants prisoners the unemployed" are w/c .. BUT the rcgfrfi say that working unionised w/c are scum essentially

That isn't true. But just because workers are unionised it doesn't mean they are straining at the leash to overthrow capitalism. And a lot of unionised workers are in reasonable or good jobs, especially in the IT and finance sector. The most revolutionary sections of the working class will be those who gain less from capitalism and depend less on the extra crumbs given to them form UK imperialistist exploitation of workers in the rest of the world. This section of the working class will grow as British Imperialism declines or as oppressed nations gain independence and throw out British business and finance.

 

[Totoro303]

Would you miss them if they folded?

Of course! Without the RCG the prospects for a revolution are bleak..

 

[dennisr]

Of course! Without the RCG the prospects for a revolution are bleak..

 

[The39thStep]

That isn't true. But just because workers are unionised it doesn't mean they are straining at the leash to overthrow capitalism. And a lot of unionised workers are in reasonable or good jobs, especially in the IT and finance sector. The most revolutionary sections of the working class will be those who gain less from capitalism and depend less on the extra crumbs given to them form UK imperialistist exploitation of workers in the rest of the world. This section of the working class will grow as British Imperialism declines or as oppressed nations gain independence and throw out British business and finance.

A brief head count today on my way to work and at work didn't indicate that anyone was straining at the leash to overthrow capitalism. However it is Friday and perhaps people were bouyed up by the thoughts of the weekend. Without wanting to really enter the world of mystic meg revolutionary situations ( or indeed ,for those who fondly remebered the 5th International,pre revolutionary situations) this sort of tosh above has always led to a focus on the most marginal and leads to the conclusion that the working class has been bought off and that fresh blood must be found to provide the proffesional revolutionaries with the motor for change hence third worldism, students, race, gender, prisoners , migrants etc. All of whom may be or not be ,as the case arises ,members of the working class. Then again a lot of our revolutionary chums prefer life in the margins.


Called me old fashioned but I still think the concept of the working class being central to any significant reform or come the great day, revolution as still having some relevance and at the heart of marxism.

 

[durruti02]

That isn't true. But just because workers are unionised it doesn't mean they are straining at the leash to overthrow capitalism. And a lot of unionised workers are in reasonable or good jobs, especially in the IT and finance sector. The most revolutionary sections of the working class will be those who gain less from capitalism and depend less on the extra crumbs given to them form UK imperialistist exploitation of workers in the rest of the world. This section of the working class will grow as British Imperialism declines or as oppressed nations gain independence and throw out British business and finance.

yaafe states what i allege

"The effectiveness of this 'active process', of the elevation of new sections of the working class to a level of privilege previously enjoyed by skilled workers, is tied to the ability of imperialism to sustain economically these privileged layers and their political influence over the working class movement, through recurring crises in the capital accumulation process. There is no single act of betrayal, but a continual process of struggle in which the opportunists through their organisations, with the support of the ruling class, actively fight to isolate working class resistance against capitalism and prevent it developing a revolutionary character. So a determined and relentless struggle against the opportunists and their organisations is the precondition for the working class movement taking the revolutionary path of opposition to capitalism and imperialism. The split in the working class movement is a material reality."

http://www.revolutionarycommunist.org/marxism/FRFIxREF/labour-aristocracy-1.html

" In Part One of this article(1) I argued that for Marxists the labour aristocracy is not simply a sociological concept describing a privileged section of the working class in imperialist countries. It encompasses a historical process inextricably linked to the development of imperialism. It is a process in which labour and trade union organisations, representing the interests of the most privileged strata of the working class, are purged of anti-capitalist forces to prevent working class resistance against capitalism taking on a revolutionary character."

http://www.revolutionarycommunist.org/marxism/FRFIxREF/labour-aristocracy-2.html

 

[scawenb]

Called me old fashioned but I still think the concept of the working class being central to any significant reform or come the great day, revolution as still having some relevance and at the heart of marxism.

The two aren't contradictory.

The question is where are the revolutionary forces in the short term and where in the long term. Clearly the working class in Latin America, Indian sub-continent and areas of Africa have shown themselves to be more revolutionary than those in Chelfont St Giles or Barrow-in-Furness. The Black and Asian communities of the early 80s were attempt to reclain their streets from the police, the mining communities were willing to fight to save their jobs and villages, the poorest communities were most willing to not pay their poll tax, the prisoners of Strangeways who were willing to take over the prison, Asian estates have taken to the streets to defend their communities against fascist attacks.

I don't see the same with Trade Union members earning well over the average wage in cushy public sector mannagement roles with good pensions or those who in the finance sector who rely on British overseas investments or those skilled workers in the arms industry relying on oversea military contracts with dodgy regimes, or the quasi-fascist Prison Officers Association in the TUC who use prisoners as a political football in their pay bargaining.

It not that the better of sections of the working class are a fixed entity written off but that section will shrink as British Imperialism does and as the countries it exploits throws them out or nationalises their assets.

 

[butchersapron]

wow, just wow.