CWI Split?

[TilburyBhoy]

A screenshot has been circulating containing the opening paragraphs of a document titled 'Crisis in CWI' and penned by head honcho Peter Taaffe. The tirade accuses the Irish section, their star section and most successful in electoral terms, of 'political retreat' and lurching towards 'petty bourgeois Mandelism'. No substantive differences are raised and I don't have access to the rest of the document, but the accusatory and intemperate tone suggests a split is on the horizon.

 

[belboid]

'petty bourgeois Mandelism' is a marvellous insult.

 

[andysays]

'petty bourgeois Mandelism' is a marvellous insult.

What does it actually mean though?

 

[butchersapron]

Ever felt you've wasted your life? You ain't seen nothing yet.

Every single split on the left is formatted in these terms isn't it - a capitulation to rightist forces, individualism, alien class elements, a rejection of class etc

 

[nogojones]

You've joined up to post that?

I guess welcome and all that hob nob shit

You think Chukka will join forces with this split?

 

[butchersapron]

That 'internal regime' sounds well good though. What a marvelous thing!

 

[belboid]

What does it actually mean though?

Too keen on electoralism, and fairly popular fronts with non-revolutionary forces, I guess

 

[danny la rouge]

the accusatory and intemperate tone suggests a split is on the horizon.

Of course it is: that’s what Trots do.

Who were you before, btw?

 

[andysays]

Too keen on electoralism, and fairly popular fronts with non-revolutionary forces, I guess

Probably better saying that then, if they want to be understood by anyone outside a tiny ultra-left ghetto

 

[kebabking]

That 'internal regime' sounds well good though. What a marvelous thing!

I use that pro-biotic yoghurt. It's undoubtedly a massive con, but it helps keep me regular.

 

[danny la rouge]

I use that pro-biotic yoghurt. It's undoubtedly a massive con, but it helps keep me regular.

I read about fermented tea as well. I’ve not tried it, but apparently it’s great for gut flora.

 

[The39thStep]

3rd period Trotskyism

 

[splonkydoo]

There's at least one member of the irish section that I've seen post on here so I wonder if we'll hear anything.
From my own experience, in person and online, they never do seem to talk about their
party unless to fiercely promote it or to drop one of their papers on you.
Very tight-lipped and mute otherwise, this cadre of petit-bourgeois Mandelites.

The tension between the CWI and the Irish party is something I've suspected for some time though, but was never quite sure of.
I can't remember the last public meeting of theirs I attended but it could have been the one they were lavishing praise on Berniedawg circa 2016.

 

[A380]

Probably better saying that then, if they want to be understood by anyone outside a tiny ultra-left ghetto

Good god, why would anyone want that?

 

[A380]

In my limited md somewhat dated experience of trot groups aren’t most splits described in such terms but actually the result of someone ‘engaging with the popular front’ Of someone else’s partner?

 

[SpineyNorman]

My reading of this one is Irish section have a decent amount of success (at least compared to the rest of the cwi) and decide they don't want to take orders from taffe when he tells them they're doing it wrong. Taffe spits dummy out.

This shit is always presented like a fight over political principle but its usually a power struggle when you get down to it.

 

[19force8]

'petty bourgeois Mandelism' is a marvellous insult.

Hmmm, does he mean "petty, bourgeois Mandelism" or "petit bourgeois Mandelism?"

This is crucial to any understanding of his polemic because the two are quite distinct tendencies within the workers' movement leading to vastly different outcomes in any revolutionary situation.

 

[19force8]

And as I can't be arsed to google it - is this the Socialist Party (E&W) or the lot that stayed in the Labour Party?

 

[belboid]

the former

 

[rekil]

"1 result". Phenomenal.

 

[19force8]

"1 result". Phenomenal.

View attachment 162314

Maybe a few more references here:

 

[TilburyBhoy]

A deepening crisis in the international organisation around Peter Taaffe's Socialist Party. Taaffe's supporters formed a minority at its most recent IEC, describing as 'Mandelite' a current including leaders of the sections in Ireland, Greece and Belgium. The English and Welsh IEC members have declared an opposition faction. It has been given parity on a commission organising a world congress next year of the Committee for a Workers' International.

Peter Taaffe's criticism of the comrades' role in Ireland is at
http://ow.ly/cfQU30nJIe3

A members' bulletin gathering together other documents can be found at http://ow.ly/OmUU30nJIwj

 

[eoin_k]

Maybe a few more references here:

Rather than Taafe's facebook communique, that might have more to do with the readmittance into the Labour Party of his sharp-suited former comrade on the left-hand side of the first photo, which made today's news.

 

[19force8]

Rather than Taafe's facebook communique, that might have more to do with the readmittance into the Labour Party of his sharp-suited former comrade on the left hand side of the first photo, which made the news today.

I was offering up the archive to copliker as a potential source for "petty bourgeois Mandelisms" rather than as a guide to the impending brouhaha in the CWI.

Point taken about the "reverse Derek" though.

 

[eoin_k]

Trotsky himself couldn't have put it better: 'Go to the place where you belong from now on - Warwick Modern Record Centre!''

 

[xenon]

Ah a good old P&P thread about some irrelevant group no one normal has ever heard of having an impenetrably dull ideological schism. I was pretty sure that's what I'd get when opening this thread. Glad not to be disappointed.

 

[imposs1904]

Ah a good old P&P thread about some irrelevant group no one normal has ever heard of having an impenetrably dull ideological schism. I was pretty sure that's what I'd get when opening this thread. Glad not to be disappointed.

 

[splonkydoo]

It all appears to check out, documents in full here

Adobe Document Cloud

Adobe Document Cloud

Edit: whoops, didn't see was already posted above

 

[eoin_k]

Of course it's legit. Who would bother to fabricate this story?

 

[belboid]

Of course it's legit. Who would bother to fabricate this story?

It's MI5 infiltration I tell ya!

That or the Sparts